Monday Night Football has increasingly centered on Troy Aikman, whose contract negotiations with ESPN have reportedly stalled and added tension with booth partner Joe Buck.
Aikman made a brief joke about the situation during the Week 9 game between the Buffalo Bills and Minnesota Vikings. After noticing the diamond chains Justin Jefferson was wearing, he said he couldn’t imagine playing in them—or wearing them at all—and quipped that he might get a similar set if someone lent him the money.
ESPN put talks on hold after Aikman’s representatives sought an extension reportedly worth close to $30 million a year. The impasse has been compounded by Aikman’s expectation that a deal would be reached before his contract entered its final year. Buck, meanwhile, has signed a six-year extension worth $108 million. The future of their long-running partnership is now uncertain beyond this season.
Until Monday’s broadcast, the 59-year-old Aikman had kept his expiring contract and the negotiations largely out of the booth.
Minnesota’s offense offered little relief from the contract talk. The Bills won 23–6, while Vikings quarterback Carson Wentz struggled before being replaced by backup Max Brosmer with four minutes remaining. Wentz threw for 81 yards, had three turnovers—including two interceptions and a lost fumble—and finished with an 8.9 passer rating. He managed only three passing yards in the first quarter, and Jefferson was held to three catches for 58 yards.
Aikman was blunt about the Vikings’ offensive problems, saying he wasn’t sure how they could be fixed. Minnesota’s defense, despite the loss, put up a fight and sacked Josh Allen four times.
The victory improved Buffalo’s record to 7–1 ahead of a trip to East Rutherford to play the New York Jets. The 6–2 Vikings now face questions at quarterback before visiting the Green Bay Packers at Lambeau Field in Week 10.
