For 20 years, the son of legendary Major League Baseball play-by-play announcer Jack Buck and a former Dallas Cowboys quarterback proved to be a winning combination for FOX Sports, which paired the two men as their lead National Football League commentators in the broadcast booth.
On Wednesday, a new era began for Joe Buck and Troy Aikman, and it involves The Walt Disney Company.
Buck and Aikman revealed on Wednesday that they have each signed multiyear agreements to join ESPN as the new voices for Monday Night Football.
They will also contribute content to ESPN+, the network’s OTT platform.
“When you have the opportunity to bring in the iconic, longest-running NFL broadcasting duo, you take it, especially at a time when we are on the cusp of a new era in our expanding relationship with the NFL,” said Jimmy Pitaro, Disney’s chairman of ESPN and sports content. “The NFL continues to ascend, and we now have more games than ever before, providing additional opportunities for Joe, Troy and our deep roster of commentators.”
In 2022, Buck and Aikman will equal the time spent together by Pat Summerall and John Madden, who famously left CBS Sports to legitimize FOX Sports and the entire FOX Broadcasting Network with its first-ever NFL deal in the early 1990s.
Beyond excited for the next chapter of my life. Here we go!!! @TroyAikman @espn pic.twitter.com/ggdlnziFQy
— Joe Buck (@Buck) March 16, 2022
“The opportunity to be a voice on Monday Night Football, adding to its legacy and being a part of the future of the NFL on ESPN, has me motivated and reflective,” Aikman said in a statement. “As a kid in California, the voices of Frank Gifford, Howard Cosell, and my mom’s personal favorite, Don Meredith, echoed throughout our living room each week. Joe and I are humbled to be part of that same tradition that has existed for more than 50 years across generations of football fans. I am looking forward to the next several years with ESPN and all our new teammates.”
Monday Night Football sideline reporter Lisa Salters will return for her 11th season.
ESPN’s new team will make its regular-season debut on Sept. 12.
