Troy Aikman Says Broadcasting Could Be 'Taken Away From Me'

Troy Aikman said he is realizing how much he values broadcasting as he enters the final year of his ESPN contract, expressing hope that his role is not taken away from him.

Speaking on Dallas Cowboys insider Mike Fisher’s YouTube show ahead of calling the Cowboys’ “Monday Night Football” game against the Philadelphia Eagles on Oct. 26, the three-time Super Bowl champion said the possibility of losing the job has sharpened his appreciation for the work.

“As I’m into my last year at ESPN, I’m realizing that this is something that could very well be taken away from me,” Aikman told Fisher. “For the first time, I’m realizing how much I really do – I’ve always enjoyed it. I’ve always known that. But until you risk having something taken away from you, I think sometimes you tend to maybe take things for granted.

“And so, for the first time probably in my career, I’m realizing, you know, this is a great profession. It’s been a great ride for me, and I hope it’s not over. Time will tell.”

Aikman is in the final season of a five-year deal he signed in 2022 to become ESPN’s lead “MNF” analyst. Joe Buck, his longtime partner since 2002, later joined him at the network. Their relationship has been the subject of public friction this season, and their contract situation has become one of the NFL’s high-profile broadcasting storylines. The NFL said at last week’s owners’ meeting that it is not concerned about the public beef.

If the pair remains together, they are scheduled to call Super Bowl LXI on Feb. 14, 2027 — their first Super Bowl since 2020. Aikman said he is “excited about what the rest of this year holds, and I’m excited to finally get back into the booth for a Super Bowl.”

Asked whether broadcasting is in his blood, Aikman replied that he believes it is. He noted that when he began 25 years ago, he expected to do it for only a couple of years and had no prior interest in television, entering the field by happenstance.