The broadcasting future of Dallas Cowboys legend and Hall of Famer Troy Aikman remains uncertain, as he is set to stay in the last year of his ESPN contract through the network’s coverage of Super Bowl LXI.
While speaking at an event in Dallas on Wednesday, Aikman admitted that it’s not a lock he will be working for ESPN or any of the NFL’s other main media partners at this time next year.
The 2026 NFL season could be Troy Aikman’s last as an in-game commentator
According to longtime journalist and media personality Tim Cowlishaw, Aikman specifically said that “there’s a 50-50 chance” he won’t be doing games as an NFL analyst next season.
While it was learned in September that Joe Buck, Aikman’s partner for ESPN/ABC “Monday Night Football” broadcasts, had received a six-year contract extension that reportedly is worth “in the neighborhood of $108M,” the former quarterback had not inked a deal with the network as of Thursday morning. Recent reports claimed that Aikman’s relationship with Buck has soured, and some have speculated that ESPN may already have potential replacements for Aikman in mind.
Specifically, Jason Kelce and Pat McAfee are two former players who are already all over ESPN programming and presumably could call games alongside Buck in 2027.
What’s next for Troy Aikman if not a TV change?
CBS recently confirmed that J.J. Watt will remain part of that network’s top broadcasting team alongside play-by-play announcer Jim Nantz for the foreseeable future. As Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk mentioned, Amazon Prime Video could buy out Kirk Herbstreit and then replace him with Aikman for “Thursday Night Football” broadcasts.
Earlier this week, Cowboys owner Jerry Jones raised eyebrows when he said that he “could and would” hire Aikman to have a “significant” role with the organization. It’s unclear exactly what that role would be, as Jones currently serves as the Cowboys’ general manager. It’s also unknown how much power Aikman would want within any team regarding personnel decisions.
Aikman previously worked as a consultant for the Miami Dolphins, but his agreement with them was reportedly limited to the Dolphins’ general manager and head coach searches earlier this year. For what it’s worth, the Indianapolis Colts are looking for a new full-time GM after Colts owner Carlie Irsay-Gordon fired Chris Ballard earlier in October.
