Ryan Clark accuses ESPN of targeting Troy Aikman as Joe Buck secures $108 million deal amid contract dispute

Ryan Clark has accused ESPN of creating a negative image of Troy Aikman as the former Dallas Cowboys quarterback faces an uncertain future with the network. Speaking on The Pivot podcast, Clark said he believes ESPN is allowing negative stories about Aikman to shape public opinion instead of addressing his contract situation directly. Having recently lost his own job at ESPN, Clark says he recognises the pattern.Ryan Clark calls out ESPN over Troy Aikman’s contract situation and Joe Buck’s new dealClark shared his thoughts on the November 6 episode of The Pivot, where he questioned why ESPN had not shown the same public support for Aikman that it had shown other on-air personalities.He began by praising Aikman and his longtime broadcasting partner Joe Buck, who have worked together for 25 years.“But I look at Troy Aikman and Joe Buck. I believe they’re the best booth in football, and for 25 years, they’ve proved that,” Clark said. He also credited the pair for helping ESPN secure better NFL games and its first Super Bowl broadcast.Clark then raised concerns about the stories surrounding Aikman, including reports of tension between the two broadcasters.“Somebody is trying to make Troy Aikman look like the b*****d son,” he said.The former NFL safety believes the network’s handling of the situation is creating an image of Aikman as the problem, even though the full story has not been made public.“You mentioned the leaks. I’ve been around there. I know how it starts to happen when they’re trying to build a narrative about you,” Clark explained.He added that ESPN had previously supported people publicly, even when they made mistakes, but he had not seen the same response in Aikman’s case.“They haven’t done that for Troy,” Clark said. “So I do feel like there is a push to make him the bad guy, whether he is or not.”The contract situation has become more complicated since Buck agreed to a reported six-year, $108 million extension with ESPN in September. Aikman, meanwhile, is approaching the end of his five-year, $90 million agreement, signed in 2022. According to Front Office Sports, ESPN has not made him a formal offer, while his representatives reportedly proposed a return with a raise similar to Buck’s.ESPN has said it will not discuss talent contracts publicly before the Super Bowl.Ryan Clark connects Troy Aikman’s ESPN treatment to his own sudden firingClark’s criticism also comes from his own experience with ESPN. The network ended its relationship with him on July 20 after 11 years, informing him about the decision while he was appearing on NFL Live.According to The Athletic, ESPN had initially planned to tell Clark the following morning but changed its plans because executives were concerned that news of his departure might leak.Clark believes the way his exit was handled helps him understand what Aikman could be facing now.“I know that they have ways of maneuvering to protect people, and I know that they have ways of putting people in positions where a narrative is built around them, so when they make their exit, they can seem like the good guys. Because I was a part of that. This is what this feels like to me,” he said.Meanwhile, Aikman has already spoken about his uncertain future. During an appearance on Dallas radio station 96.7 The Ticket, he said he planned to finish the season before becoming a free agent.He also admitted that there was a 50-50 chance he would not return to television next season.Despite the uncertainty, Aikman and Buck are expected to work together through Super Bowl LXI on February 14, 2027, at SoFi Stadium. Whether they continue as ESPN’s Monday Night Football broadcasting team after that remains unclear.Get the latest Sports News and Live updates. Download the TOI app.