Tension between Troy Aikman, Joe Buck reportedly building amid ESPN's delayed contract talks with former Cowboys QB

ESPN declined Glasspiegel's request for comment. Neither Aikman nor Buck have commented on the matter. 

Why hasn't ESPN re-signed Troy Aikman? 

The sticking point in contract negotiations may be salary. ESPN reportedly wants to pay Aikman less than No. 1 Fox analyst Tom Brady, who makes $37.5M annually. Aikman signed his current contract in 2022 and currently makes $18M annually. Didn't Aikman, a former Dallas Cowboys quarterback, and Brady, a former New England Patriots QB, make enough during their playing days?

Regardless, ESPN may be alienating Aikman by prolonging the contract negotiations. If the relationship sours to the point that he refuses to sign with the network, the worldwide leader in sports would have options. Glasspiegel tabbed Fox's Greg Olsen as a potential replacement. The former Carolina Panthers tight end served as a top analyst from 2022-23 before Brady replaced him. 

Buck, however, has made it clear he prefers to continue working with Aikman. 

"I'm pretty well on record, having begged out my last years at Fox to follow him to ESPN," Buck said in September. "I legitimately love the guy like a brother. We're basically the same age; I'm 57, he's 59. We've both been through a divorce. We're both girl dads. 25 years, you're sharing a lot of life together. Forget games in the booth and all that stuff.

"So, I hope so. I mean, both of us were up. It wasn't like we were doing some national signing day where we walk in arm-in-arm and then sign contracts at the same time. We've always kept that kind of stuff separate. I'm obviously hopeful, to say the least, that something gets done. But that's kind of his world, and ESPN's world, and I've got to kind of mind my own yard in that stuff. I think that's the best way to be." 

But if Aikman's talks with the network continue heading nowhere, that would continue driving a wedge between him and his longtime partner.