After comments he made this morning, it appears that Troy Aikman may in fact be leaving ESPN after five years as the lead color analyst.
Having originally moved from Fox to ESPN back in 2022 alongside his announcing partner of 25 years, Joe Buck, Aikman and he have had “tension” that crescendoed with an argument between the pair ahead of Monday Night Football.
Aikman hinted on Thursday morning in addressing the situation that he could be on his way out of ESPN, noting that he will be a “free agent” after the Super Bowl, which he and Joe Buck are calling in February 2027, and that after he will “see what happens”.
Who Could Replace Troy Aikman at ESPN?
In light of the statement, there have been multiple names linked to replacing Aikman’s role, including Pat McAfee and NFL Redzone’s Scott Hanson.
Both have publicly and vehemently denied a connection with the role. Yet, there is another name that makes more sense than either.
The Puck’s John Ourand wrote on Thursday night that his “best sources” are predicting that ESPN poaches Fox’s Greg Olsen to replace Aikman.
Greg Olsen Predicted to Replace Aikman Amid Expiring Deal
Not only does it make sense on a technical level; Olsen was Fox’s no. 1 color analyst before the team signed Tom Brady to a blockbuster, multi-year deal that started back in 2024; but the timing lines up perfectly.
As Ourand notes, “Olsen’s current contract with Fox ends this season, and while he has had some negotiations over a renewal, nothing is signed.”
The former All-Pro tight end was not thrilled about his demotion on Fox that gave way to Brady, and the chance to become the lead color analyst on a huge primetime platform. Olsen is regarded by many as one of the best color analysts in the game, and he could easily be the most qualified option to have ESPN not skip a beat in the absence of the Hall of Fame quarterback.
All-Pro Tight End Predicted to Replace Troy Aikman at ESPN