Andrew Marchand has put a number on the lingering Troy Aikman Joe Buck split, saying there is a 95% chance Aikman calls ’s Super Bowl LXI broadcast with Joe Buck and a 5% chance he does not.
That is the clearest public marker yet on a situation that has already become one of the more awkward storylines around ’s NFL coverage. The reported feud has centered on Buck’s extension with the network and Aikman’s reaction to not being told about it, with the pair since completing two Monday Night Football broadcasts after the dispute became public.
Why the Super Bowl question matters
The issue is not simply whether two broadcasters can work together for one game. It is whether can keep one of its biggest NFL pairings intact for a showcase event that carries huge visibility and pressure.
Marchand’s view was clear when he said: “I’ll put that at 95% he does it, 5% he doesn’t.” In other words, the default expectation is that Aikman remains in the booth for Super Bowl LXI, even if the relationship behind the scenes has clearly been strained.
The report also underlines how much of this story is about process as much as personality. Marchand suggested the situation could be improved internally if the right people simply sat down and sorted it out.
What changed between Buck and Aikman?
The tension goes back to Buck’s contract extension, which was finalized in the spring according to later reporting. In September, The Athletic reported that Buck had signed that extension and that Aikman was unaware of it.
That led to the reported blowup last month, with the quotes attributed to the two men showing how personal the exchange became. Buck is reported to have said, “You are not going to f*cking talk to me?” and later, “I’m not the reason you don’t have a contract.” Aikman’s response was reported as, “I just never thought you’d do it to me.”
Marchand also described the dynamic in blunt terms, saying: “Wait, why aren’t we just bringing these guys in a room and figuring it out.” He added that the reaction had become something of an emotional chain reaction: “Wait, what the hell. Who’s talking? What’s going on. I’m mad now and da da da,”
still has time to settle it
For now, the most important detail is that has not publicly resolved Aikman’s future broadcasting role in the source report. That keeps the door open to a settlement before February, when the Super Bowl booth becomes the focus.
And that is why Marchand’s 95-5 split matters. It suggests the noise around the feud is real, but the probability still leans heavily toward Buck and Aikman working together when ’s biggest NFL broadcast arrives.
