Ryan Clark accuses ESPN of targeting Troy Aikman as Joe Buck secures $108 million deal amid contract dispute
I believe they’re the best booth in football, and for 25 years, they’ve proved that,” Clark said. The contract situation has become more complicated since Buck agreed to a reported six-year, $108 million extension with ESPN in September. Aikman, meanwhile, is approaching the end of his five-year, $90 million agreement, signed in 2022. The network ended its relationship with him on July 20 after 11 years, informing him about the decision while he was appearing on NFL Live.
Having recently lost his own job at ESPN, Clark says he recognises the pattern.
Speaking on The Pivot podcast, Clark said he believes ESPN is allowing negative stories about Aikman to shape public opinion instead of addressing his contract situation directly. “Somebody is trying to make Troy Aikman look like the b*****d son,” he said. “They haven’t done that for Troy,” Clark said. ESPN has not made him a formal offer, while his representatives reportedly proposed a return with a raise similar to Buck’s, according to Front Office Sports. ESPN has said it will not discuss talent contracts publicly before the Super Bowl.
Ryan Clark has accused ESPN of creating a negative image of Troy Aikman as the former Dallas Cowboys quarterback faces an uncertain future with the network. “But I look at Troy Aikman and Joe Buck. He also credited the pair for helping ESPN secure better NFL games and its first Super Bowl broadcast. The former NFL safety believes the network’s handling of the situation is creating an image of Aikman as the problem, even though the full story has not been made public. “So I do feel like there is a push to make him the bad guy, whether he is or not. Clark’s criticism also comes from his own experience with ESPN.