ESPN lead NFL commentator Joe Buck has agreed to a new six-year contract extension with the network worth roughly $108 million, according to The Athletic. The agreement increases his annual salary from $15 million to approximately $18 million, representing a 20% raise from the five-year, $75 million contract he signed when he and broadcast partner Troy Aikman left Fox to join ESPN in 2022, as reported by Celebrity Net Worth.
Joe Buck Lands New Six-Year, $108 Million Extension with ESPN
The new deal keeps Buck under contract through 2032, safely beyond the expiration of ESPN’s current agreement with the NFL and securing his role as the voice of Monday Night Football into the next decade. If he completes both his initial agreement and the new extension, ESPN will have committed roughly $183 million to Buck over an 11-year stretch, placing him among the highest-paid personalities at the network alongside Stephen A. Smith, who earns $21 million per year, and Pat McAfee, who has been in talks for a potential extension, according to Daily Mail.
Super Bowl Coverage and Future Broadcast Timeline
The 57-year-old broadcaster will be behind the microphone when ESPN/ABC televises its first Super Bowl in February 2027, and his new contract extends far enough to ensure he will also call the network’s second Super Bowl in 2031, according to New York Post. The extension essentially confirms that ESPN will remain a major fixture in NFL broadcasting rights negotiations.
Josh Krulewitz, ESPN executive vice president of communications, declined to address talent contract specifics publicly before the Super Bowl, stating according to Larry Brown Sports that the network’s entire focus is on bringing fans the best possible football coverage.
Troy Aikman’s Unsigned Status
While Buck’s long-term future with the network is secured, his longtime booth partner Troy Aikman remains unsigned. Aikman’s current five-year, $90 million contract expires after the Super Bowl in February. Buck and Aikman are currently one week into their 25th season together, making them the longest-running commentary team in NFL history.
In April, Buck stated that he would sign a contract with ESPN without even looking at it, adding that he has loved every second with the network since leaving Fox Sports. Outside of his football duties, Buck has also appeared on other Disney-owned products, including guest-hosting Good Morning America
on ABC and fronting a sports version of Jeopardy.
Potential Future Return to Major League Baseball
Before focusing entirely on football at ESPN, Buck spent nearly three decades at Fox Sports, where he served as the lead Major League Baseball play-by-play announcer and called a record 24 World Series, beginning with his first Fall Classic in 1996 at age 27.
Fox owns the national television rights to the World Series through the 2028 season. According to reports, ESPN chairman Jimmy Pitaro is interested in acquiring those rights when they become available in 2029 and has indicated to Buck that he would like him to return to the baseball booth if ESPN succeeds. However, there is no official provision or guarantee for a World Series assignment written into Buck’s new contract.
