Troy Aikman did not deny a report that he and Joe Buck argued before a recent Monday Night Football broadcast, saying there was “probably a time and a place” to address the matter but that the interview was not the right time.
Aikman made the remarks Thursday during an interview with Sportsradio 96.7 in Dallas. He was asked about a Front Office Sports report of tension between the longtime broadcast partners ahead of the game between the Buffalo Bills and Los Angeles Rams. Aikman also said he was unsure whether the situation was difficult to understand.
The reported strain is tied to their contract situations, according to the source material. Buck has signed a new agreement to remain with Disney, ABC and ESPN as Monday Night Football’s play-by-play announcer. Aikman has no contract in place beyond the current season.
Aikman said he plans to work through the season and the upcoming Super Bowl, after which he will be a free agent. He said he would consider what opportunities might follow. The source reports the pair continued working together for the Bills-Rams game and are expected to remain together through Super Bowl LXI, scheduled for Feb. 14. ESPN is set to televise that game for the first time.
Front Office Sports reported that Buck had taken a step toward easing the tension and that the two had an argument afterward. The material does not provide details of the alleged exchange or establish what prompted it. The suggestion that the disagreement involved a prior understanding about negotiating contracts is presented as speculation, not as a confirmed explanation.
Neither Buck nor ESPN had provided comment on the reported dispute, according to the source. ESPN declined comment. Aikman’s public remarks left the matter unresolved, and the source offers no further account from Buck.
The contract question concerns Aikman’s plans after this season; his comments do not confirm whether he will remain with ESPN or pursue a particular job elsewhere. He said he was looking forward to the rest of the season and the Super Bowl, while leaving his next destination open.
