Joe Buck fallout leaves 5% chance of a broadcasting shake-up(Getty) Could ESPN drop Troy Aikman before Super Bowl LXI?
Troy Aikman and Joe Buck have worked together for 25 years, but a reported fallout between the longtime NFL broadcasting partners has put their future together under scrutiny. With Super Bowl LXI set for February 14, 2027, ESPN still expects both men to lead its coverage. Speaking on The Varsity podcast with John Ourand, The Athletic’s NFL media reporter put the chances of Aikman joining Buck for the February 14 broadcast at 95%.
“I’ll put that at 95% he does it, 5% he doesn’t,” Marchand said. ESPN could face an unexpected decision before its first-ever Super Bowl broadcast. However, a new update from The Athletic’s Andrew Marchand suggests that things could take an unexpected turn.
Despite the tension, Marchand does not expect ESPN to remove Aikman before the Super Bowl.
The disagreement spilled into their Monday Night Football booth before the October 12 game between the Buffalo Bills and Los Angeles Rams, according to The Athletic’s reporting. Watt’s position and named him its lead NFL analyst through the 2028 Super Bowl. However, there is no confirmed agreement between Olsen and ESPN. Awful Announcing reported that the network removed the interim label from J.J.
That leaves a small possibility of ESPN making a late change to its broadcasting team. Marchand also described the situation as ugly but stressed that both men remain professionals. He suggested that ESPN could bring them into a room and work through their differences rather than allow the dispute to grow. Buck reportedly confronted Aikman over his silence, saying, “I’m not the reason you don’t have a contract. A possible replacement could also become a talking point if ESPN decides to make a change. Greg Olsen has experience as FOX’s lead NFL analyst and could emerge as an option. Meanwhile, CBS has strengthened its own broadcasting plans. Kirk Herbstreit also remains closely tied to Amazon’s Thursday Night Football coverage. However, the bigger question will come after Super Bowl LXI. Even if Aikman and Buck finish the season together, ESPN must still decide what it wants from its lead NFL analyst going forward.