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Joe Buck Announces Clear Decision On NFL Announcing Future

Originally posted on The Spun | By Tzvi Machlin | Last updated Sep 11, 2025 12:24 PM ET

ESPN NFL play-by-play man Joe Buck was recently asked how many years he has left as an announcer and the broadcast veteran was very blunt with his response.

Appearing on Pardon My Take, Buck declared that he has no idea when he intends to retire and believes he could go anywhere from 10 to 15 more years. He said that he doesn't want to try and plan it out and joked that it could happen suddenly like getting hit by a bus.

“I don’t know. 10 years, 12 years, 15 years?” said Buck. “I’m not gonna do the ‘man makes plans and God laughs.’ I have no idea, I could get hit by a bus getting out of here.”

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Buck is a relatively young 56 years of age but has already been in the industry for over 30 years. He's covered major sporting events ranging from the World Series to Super Bowls and been on the call for some of the most iconic moments in U.S. sports history.

Some announcers such as Jim Nantz choose to start taking fewer responsibilities in their mid-60s, while others like Al Michaels go all the way to their late-70s still going strong.

There's no telling how long Buck can go if he has the eagerness and health to keep going.

TAMPA, FLORIDA - JANUARY 16: Joe Buck and Troy Aikman look on prior to a game between the Dallas Cowboys and Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the NFC Wild Card playoff game at Raymond James Stadium on January 16, 2023 in Tampa, Florida. (Photo by Julio Aguilar/Getty Images)Julio Aguilar/Getty Images

Joe Buck's career

Joe Buck is one of the signature play-by-play voices in American sports. The son of Hall of Famer Jack Buck, he started with the Cardinals and Louisville Redbirds before joining Fox in 1994, becoming the network’s lead MLB and NFL voice. At 27, he was the youngest to call a World Series on national TV (1996), and across his Fox tenure he handled six Super Bowls and a record haul of Fall Classics (24 World Series) while collecting multiple Sports Emmys and four NSMA National Sportscaster of the Year awards.

In March 2022, Buck and longtime partner Troy Aikman moved to ESPN to become the lead booth for Monday Night Football, a role he still holds. Though he stepped away from day-to-day baseball after 2021, he’s popped back in for special assignments—calling a Cardinals-Cubs tribute game in 2024 and ESPN’s Opening Day telecast (Yankees–Brewers) in 2025—underscoring his place as one of the medium’s most familiar narrators.

This article first appeared on The Spun and was syndicated with permission.

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