Joe Buck Expected To Leave FOX, Sign Massive Deal: Report
By Jason Hall
March 11, 2022
Joe Buck is reportedly expected to leave FOX Sports and join his longtime NFL broadcast partner Troy Aikman as the new voice of Monday Night Football as part of a massive contract agreement with ESPN, the New York Post's Andrew Marchand reports.
Buck, 52, was reportedly granted permission by FOX to speak with ESPN officials and a deal, reported to be worth between $60-75 million, is expected to be completed "shortly," sources told Marchand.
Buck, who has called six Super Bowls and the World Series for nearly a quarter century, has one-year and $11 million remaining on his current contract.
Sources with knowledge of the negotiations said FOX's decision to allow Buck to pursue other ventures early was a good gesture for his years of service to the company's live sports broadcasts.
Buck's decision comes weeks after Marchand initially reported that Aikman was planning to join ESPN's Monday Night Football broadcast team.
Marchand reports the Pro Football Hall of Famer agreed to a five-year, $92.5 million contract, sources with knowledge of the deal confirmed.
Aikman's decision has led to a domino effect in the NFL broadcasting free agency spree.
Hall of Fame play-by-play man Al Michaels was also reportedly deep into negotiations with Amazon Prime ahead of its exclusive coverage of Thursday Night Football next season after his contract recently expired with NBC Sports.
Michaels, 77, reportedly hoped Aikman would join him as his broadcasting partner with Amazon Prime and was close to reaching a deal, but hadn't amid reported interest from ESPN to be paired with Aikman prior to Buck's reported decision, according to Marchand.
Michaels, who had previously worked for ABC Sports -- which, like ESPN, is owned by The Walt Disney Company -- from 1976-2006 and is the longest tenured Monday Night Football play-by-play man in history (1986-2005).
ESPN's Monday Night Football broadcast both currently includes Steve Levy, Louis Riddick Jr. and Brian Griese.