Troy Aikman’s Rumored ‘Wildcard’ Monday Night Football Replacement Revealed Amid Growing Exit Speculation
This article was originally published on Total Pro Sports.
Eli Manning has reportedly emerged as a candidate to replace Troy Aikman on Monday Night Football.
Troy Aikman’s future remains uncertain as his contract expires after Super Bowl LXI in February. He recently said he expects to become a free agent, with his next move up in the air.
Meanwhile, Joe Buck has secured a six-year, $108 million extension with ESPN. The pair reportedly argued before last week’s Bills-Rams game, and Aikman acknowledged tension around their contracts.
ESPN developed the ManningCast after Peyton declined an invitation to join the main MNF booth. The remote alternate show features Peyton and Eli watching games together and trading commentary.
Peyton Manning’s Possible Colts Move Could Change ESPN’s Plans
Dan Patrick has reported that the Indianapolis Colts contacted Peyton about their front-office vacancy following Chris Ballard’s firing. However, FOX 59 reporter Mike Chappell disputed the report.
Awful Announcing’s Sam Neumann has suggested that Eli could step in to replace Aikman if his brother joins the Colts.
If Peyton did leave the ManningCast, ESPN would need to decide whether it could continue without its central personality.
“Greg Olsen is still the favorite to replace Troy Aikman, but if Peyton takes the Colts job, ESPN might find its answer in the other Manning,” Neumann writes.
He also notes the following:
One reasonable concern is that a Buck-Eli pairing could feel vanilla, but ESPN’s top booth has never needed bombast to draw enormous audiences, as Buck and Aikman attracted 23.2 million viewers in Week 1 on the strength of polish and familiarity. Buck is at his best as the steady, unflappable presence alongside a bigger personality, which is precisely the role he’d need to play next to Eli.
Eli brings years of experience from six seasons on the ManningCast, but a full-time booth role would demand more than his current part-time schedule.
He has also said he never wanted to become a broadcaster, which adds another wrinkle.
