Joe Buck and Troy Aikman, who have teamed up for 20 seasons in the NFL at the broadcast booth, have signed multi-year agreements to join ESPN as new voices for Sunday Night Football, it was announced Wednesday.
The duo, who are inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame, will also contribute content to ESPN+.
“When you have the opportunity to bring on the iconic and longest-lived radio duo in the NFL, you take it, especially at a time when we are on the cusp of a new era in our expanded relationship with the NFL,” said Jimmy Pitaro. Disney’s president of ESPN and sports content. “The NFL continues to climb, and we now have more games than ever, providing additional opportunities for Joe, Troy and our deep roster of commentators.”
In 2022, Buck and Aikman will match legendary radio duo Pat Summerle and John Madden for their 21st season together at the booth.
Beyond excited for the next chapter of my life. here we are!!! Tweet embed espn pic.twitter.com/ggdlnziFQy
– Joe Buck March 16, 2022
Like most kids of my generation, I grew up watching MNF, Frank Gifford, Howard Cosell and my mum’s favorite Don Meredith, so you can only imagine my excitement being part of the MNF legacy and continuing to work with Joe Buck, my broadcast partner for the last 20 years!#MNFonESPN???? pic.twitter.com/MKPeqncs0l
Troy Aikman March 16, 2022
Buck and Aikman called six Super Bowls, bypassing all other pairs/stalls except for Summer and Madden.
“Everything about Monday Night Football, including the broadcast, has set the standard for the modern NFL experience,” said eight-time Emmy Award winner Buck in a statement. “My first memories of walking around football pitches are in line with my dad when he called on Football Radio on Monday Night.
“Coming back to the stadium on Monday nights with Troy – whom I feel extremely comfortable with and trusting – and starting a new chapter, for us and ESPN, has got me excited about this season and our future.”
Football’s longest-running side correspondent Lisa Salters will return for her eleventh season, for her eleventh season on the series.
The new ESPN team will make its regular season debut on September 12.
Aikman, who won three Super Bowl titles as the Dallas Cowboys quarterback, was inducted into the Professional Football Hall of Fame in 2006; Buck entered the hall in 2020 with a Pete Rozelle Radio-Television Award.
“The opportunity to be a voice on Monday Night Football, as well as its legacy and being a part of the future of the NFL on ESPN, made me excited and thoughtful,” Ekman said in a statement. “As a kid in California, the voices of Frank Gifford, Howard Cosell, and my mother’s personal favorite, Don Meredith, echoed throughout our living room every week.
“Joe and I are humbled to be part of the same tradition that has existed for over 50 years across generations of football fans. I look forward to the next several years with ESPN and all of our new teammates.”
ESPN will broadcast 22 games during the 2022-23 season, up from 20 last season. One Monday night soccer match will be broadcast exclusively on ABC, and there’s also an international game on Sunday that will be played on ESPN+.
This season’s schedule includes three weeks with multiple NFL games on ESPN, with that increased to five starting in the 2023-24 season.
ESPN will continue to broadcast the Pro Bowl TV channel.
