Drew Brees wants to replace Troy Aikman on ESPN's 'Monday Night Football'

ESPN could have a notable decision to make after Super Bowl LXI on Feb. 14. Former NFL QB and current Fox analyst Drew Brees publicly expressed interest in becoming the network's next "Monday Night Football" analyst alongside Joe Buck. 

Drew Brees wants shot at ESPN's premier NFL broadcast

With Troy Aikman’s contract at ESPN set to expire after the Super Bowl, Brees told Front Office Sports that “of course” he’s interested in joining the "Monday Night Football" booth.

“At the end of the day, I aspire to be the best at what I’m pursuing. I love broadcasting, and I love my team. And I love being able to broadcast games every week,” Brees told Front Office Sports' Baker Machado.

 “For example, this week, we’re broadcasting Vikings-Packers. The Packers are one of the most explosive offenses in football right now. I love the fact that I’ll get a chance to dive into watching [Packers QB] Jordan Love, [coach] Matt LaFleur, and that whole offense. Look, they struggled early on in the season. Now they’ve kind of turned the corner. The Vikings are reeling a little bit. 

"Trying to figure it out on offense. We get to dive in and identify what the solutions could be. The [Vikings] defense is lights out. What a great matchup that’s going to be. I get to be in the shoes of both. Again, that’s what I love every week is the opportunity to talk about it, communicate it. But we’re all aspiring to be the best that we can be at it.”

Years after NBC criticism, Drew Brees may be ready for ESPN's biggest stage

From an outside perspective, Brees appears to have a stronger appreciation for the craft of broadcasting than he did during his first stint at NBC, when he was viewed as becoming NBC's version of Tony Romo. 

When he initially entered television after retirement, heavy criticism appeared regarding his comfort level and on-air presence. Now, his comments reflect someone who genuinely enjoys the process of studying teams and communicating football strategy to an audience. 

If ESPN is eventually forced to replace Aikman, the network could view Brees as a candidate who has grown considerably since his first experience in the booth with NBC. 

 “I valued my time at NBC so much, for that year after I played, I spent most of that time in-studio on Sunday Night Football, having to work with some incredible people," Brees told "Front Office Sports Today" in September 2024. "But I didn’t really get the chance to broadcast NFL games. And that’s what I feel like I’m most qualified to do. That’s what I feel like I’m most passionate about. And certainly where my knowledge base lies ... Telling the story of the game, getting you inside the huddle, getting you inside the quarterback’s head, letting you know how we’re attacking this defense."