Former Bears All-Pro Pens 16-Word Message on What He Spotted Between Troy Aikman and Joe Buck During Bears-Seahawks on Monday Night Football

Former Chicago Bears All-Pro offensive lineman Kyle Long noticed something interesting during ESPN's Monday Night Football broadcast of the Bears and Seattle Seahawks.

As Chicago cruised to a 34-17 road victory, Long took to X with a short message about play-by-play announcer Joe Buck and analyst Troy Aikman. His observation caught the attention of NFL fans, particularly those who have followed Aikman's history with the Bears' quarterback, Caleb Williams.

From Past Criticism to Praise for Caleb Williams

"Joe Buck teeing up Troy Aikman to say nice things about Caleb Williams is must listen," Long wrote .

The former Bears lineman's 16-word message highlighted a noticeable change in the broadcast, with Aikman offering plenty of praise for Williams during the game.

The third-year quarterback delivered a strong performance against Seattle, completing 24 of 34 passes for 247 yards and a touchdown. Williams also has earned an 84.0 grade in PFN's NFL QB Impact Metric , ranking sixth among quarterbacks.

Aikman's positive comments stood out because of his previous criticism of Williams during a late-2025 Monday Night Football broadcast against the Washington Commanders.

During that game, Aikman described one of Williams' touchdown passes as "lucky" and questioned aspects of his decision-making. The comments drew criticism from Bears fans.

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Williams later mentioned that he had not participated in a pregame production meeting with Aikman. The former Cowboys quarterback, meanwhile, defended his remarks as fair and unbiased analysis while maintaining that he was impressed by Williams' overall talent before praising his performance against Seattle.

Joe Buck and Troy Aikman's Broadcast Future Remains a Talking Point

Long's post also came amid ongoing discussions about Buck and Aikman's future together at ESPN.

The broadcasting duo has worked together for 25 years, dating back to their time at Fox. However, their contract situations have recently attracted attention.

Buck reportedly signed a six-year, $108 million extension with ESPN, while Aikman is entering the final year of his five-year, $90 million deal, which expires in February 2027.

Aikman was reportedly caught off guard when he learned that Buck had finalized his new contract without telling him. The situation reportedly led to disagreements between the two ahead of an October game between the Buffalo Bills and the Los Angeles Rams.

Aikman has publicly acknowledged that he will enter free agency after the season, raising questions about his future in broadcasting.

Despite the uncertainty, Buck and Aikman are expected to finish the season together, with ESPN preparing for its first-ever Super Bowl broadcast on February 14, 2027.