Will Troy Aikman Leave Joe Buck Behind? Inside His Potential Free Agency

Troy Aikman may be preparing to hit the open market, and his impending broadcast free agency could spark the next major shakeup across sports media.

Following reports of pregame contract tension with longtime broadcast partner Joe Buck, the former Dallas Cowboys quarterback addressed his future during a recent appearance on Dallas radio station 96.7 The Ticket.

“There’s probably a time and a place for all that to be discussed,” Aikman said during the interview. “I don’t know if now is the time. I don’t know that it’s hard to figure out kind of what’s happened. I’ll broadcast through this season, and I’ll be a free agent at the end of the year and kind of see what happens.”

With Buck securing a $108 million six-year extension, while Aikman’s contract talks remain stalled, Aikman said it appears ESPN will “go in a different direction.”

As detailed in a recent analysis by The Guardian, the prospective split between the Monday Night Football teammates presents many options as ESPN prepares to broadcast its first-ever Super Bowl at SoFi Stadium, while also positioning Aikman as the most coveted broadcaster on the sports media landscape.

So where could the three-time Super Bowl champion land next?

The Guardian highlights CBS Sports as a standout destination that Aikman could potentially go to next. Following the network’s split with Tony Romo on October 2, CBS promoted former Houston Texans star J.J. Watt to join Jim Nantz on its lead broadcast team. However, if executives conclude that Watt isn’t ready for a permanent primetime, Aikman’s experience could make him the star of the network’s top booth.

Another intriguing option is Amazon Prime Video. With play-by-play veteran Al Michaels turning 82 and Kirk Herbstreit repeatedly being scrutinized on Thursday Night Football  for controversial hot takes, Amazon has the funds to bring Aikman on as an anchor.

However, The Guardian suggests that Aikman teasing his upcoming availability could simply be a negotiation tactic, which would allow him to leverage external suitors to force ESPN into an offer before Super Bowl kickoff.

“I’m looking forward to whatever the rest of this season does hold, with the Super Bowl and all that, and where my next landing spot might be,” Aikman said during the radio segment.

Whether he stays put or moves to a rival network, the potential split of his 24-year booth partnership with Buck would mark a significant shift in sports broadcasting.