Troy Aikman might not be out of a job for long after the 2026 NFL season. Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones, 84, just spoke about Aikman with a glow on Tuesday during a radio appearance, making it clear he would be interested in bringing Aikman back to the organization if the Hall of Famer finds himself looking for work. Jones didn’t mince words either, calling Aikman “one of the hardest working, most focused people” he knows.
Aikman’s ESPN Drama Is Getting Real
So, what’s all this talk about Aikman being out of a job? It all stems from some serious reported unrest between Aikman, his broadcast partner Joe Buck, and ESPN. Aikman is in the final year of his contract with the network, and a long-term extension to keep him calling “Monday Night Football” games just hasn’t materialized. Things apparently blew up in October when Aikman and Buck got into a verbal altercation before a broadcast. The issue? Buck signed a massive new extension with ESPN back in September, and Aikman reportedly still hasn’t even received a formal offer. When asked about it, Aikman played coy on the specifics, but he definitely hinted he’s ready to listen to other networks once his contract expires. “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,” Aikman said in October. “I’m looking forward to whatever the rest of this year does hold with the Super Bowl and all that and where my next landing spot might be.” That sounds like a guy keeping his options wide open, doesn’t it?
Could Aikman Actually Go Back to Dallas?
Look, Aikman has almost three decades in the booth, so if he wants to keep broadcasting, he’ll be a coveted free agent, no doubt. That could throw a wrench into Jones’ plans. But if Aikman decides he’s ready for a change, the Cowboys make a ton of sense. The guy starred for the franchise his entire 12-year NFL career, won three Super Bowls, and ended up in the Pro Football Hall of Fame. He’s clearly still well-loved there. Jones even said there are “no immediate plans” right now, but then he dropped the real kicker: “Don’t rule it out. It’s very possible.” That’s the soundbite that tells you everything you need to know about how serious this could get. One small hurdle: Aikman would probably have to ditch his consulting gig with the Miami Dolphins to join the Cowboys, but that shouldn’t be a major barrier given his history with Dallas.
It will probably be months before we see any real movement on Aikman’s next move. Unless there’s a surprise extension from ESPN, he’ll be waiting for his contract to run out before the suitors start lining up. A lot of those will be other TV networks, for sure, but it sure sounds like Jerry Jones is ready to pick up the phone and make a call to his old quarterback.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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