Who’s able to name some “Monday Night Football“?
On Thursday, Professional Soccer Corridor of Fame quarterback and ESPN “MNF” colour commentator Troy Aikman
told Dallas radio station KTCK he’ll be a free agent this offseason, elevating questions on who will name video games subsequent to play-by-play announcer Joe Buck in 2027 and past. In September 2026, The Athletic’s Andrew Marchand reported that Buck agreed to a six-year, $108M extension to stay with ESPN by way of the 2032 season.
Whereas not all free brokers ultimately go away, contemplating Aikman’s feedback (“I am wanting ahead to no matter the remainder of this season does maintain … and the place my subsequent touchdown spot is likely to be,” he added Thursday), plus experiences of a simmering rift between him and Buck, the top appears nigh for the 25-year broadcasting duo.
Listed here are 5 potential Aikman replacements within the “MNF” sales space.
Whereas Kelce hasn’t made his plans past 2026 recognized, he’ll be a scorching commodity for a attainable NFL media gig at any time when he retires. Enjoying on a one-year contract, that may very well be as quickly as this offseason.
The three-time Tremendous Bowl champion can be pleasant with Buck, who attended Kelce’s extravagant summer time wedding ceremony to Taylor Swift, which might make him a pure match. His brother, former Philadelphia Eagles middle Jason Kelce, additionally works for the community and is a part of its “MNF” pregame and halftime on-site protection, creating a fair stronger tie.
However including Travis will not be low cost. Aikman signed for 5 years, $90M, the identical annual common ($18M) as former CBS No. 1 colour commentator Tony Romo, whose 10-year, $180M 2020 contract was lately severed after the previous Dallas Cowboys quarterback was arrested on an OWI cost in July.
Tom Brady’s Fox deal (10 years, $375M) is in one other stratosphere, however as arguably the NFL’s most recognizable non-quarterback, Kelce might command $20M at a minimal. This might create a bidding battle the place Amazon, one other logical vacation spot, finishes with the very best supply.
The “Thursday Evening Soccer” airer might have a gap based on an opt-out clause in colour commentator Kirk Herbstreit’s contract. Wondery, Amazon’s podcasting community, has held unique multimedia rights to the Kelce brothers’ “New Heights” podcast since 2024 on a three-year deal worth more than $100M. Travis additionally hosted the primary (and as of October 2026, solely) season of the Amazon sport present “Are You Smarter Than a Movie star?”
The thought of ESPN hiring Travis subsequent offseason has different problems, together with the likelihood he decides to play a fifteenth season or, relatively than instantly bounce into one other profession, jet-set throughout the globe along with his spouse. ESPN may have a wider internet.
The elder Kelce, one other soon-to-be media free agent, has been within the sales space for the league’s worldwide collection and obtained constructive early suggestions (minus a habit of referring to the Eagles as “we”). The Philadelphia Inquirer floated the opportunity of him calling video games subsequent to Buck following his first commentating gig in a Week 4 sport between the Indianapolis Colts and Washington Commanders, writing that his sales space debut arrived “at an fascinating time for ESPN” attributable to Aikman’s unsure standing.
In his sixth season as an NFL broadcaster, Olsen has already seen all of it, rapidly turning into a fan favourite for astute evaluation and rising to Fox’s No. 1 sales space and calling a Tremendous Bowl earlier than being downgraded to the No. 2 crew as soon as Brady entered the sales space.
Olsen has earned a higher-profile gig than calling Fox’s scraps, and there is likely to be none greater than “MNF.” The Athletic’s Richard Deitsch fueled hypothesis of a attainable cut up between the previous Carolina Panthers tight finish and Fox this offseason on Thursday, reporting that the 2 sides have “not had any negotiations ” relating to an extension whereas including that Olsen held “exploratory talks with CBS Sports activities” in 2024.
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