Since joining ESPN’s Monday Night Football team in 2022, the veteran duo of Troy Aikman and Joe Buck have undeniably been at the top of their game and field, for that matter. This past season, they particularly stood out for their refreshing candor, including their willingness to critique officiating. While Aikman’s comments about Quinnen Williams stirred some controversy, he and Buck’s overall performance cemented their status as the top broadcasting team in 2023.
And that has been recognized with their nominations for the 45th Annual Sports Emmy Awards. Buck is in the running for Outstanding Personality/Play-by-Play, while Aikman is nominated for Outstanding Personality/Event Analyst.
Aikman joined ESPN’s Masters coverage from Augusta National on Thursday and spoke with Laura Rutledge about his nomination.
“It means a lot,” Aikman said. “To be nominated means a lot. I’ve been nominated quite a few times. I feel like Susan Lucci. I’ve been nominated a lot but haven’t won anything. This an honor. It’s something that does mean a lot, because, like we were talking about with golf or anything else; when you’re playing football, you want to go win the Super Bowl. And when you’re broadcasting, I think the highest acclaim you could get is to win an Emmy. That’s been elusive, but who knows? Maybe one day.
“But I’ve really enjoyed my second career in broadcasting. Like everything in life, it’s about the people you work with, and you have to have a good team. And I’ve always had a good team. And I do now. And (Laura Rutledge) is a part of that, as well. I’ve got a good team at ESPN, and I’m really lucky.”
With good humor, Aikman acknowledges his multiple nominations, channeling his inner Susan Lucci and hoping to finally break his “winless” streak at the Emmys. But Emmy win or not, Buck and Aikman promise to remain a dominant force in Monday Night Football for years to come.
[ESPN on YouTube]
About Sam Neumann
Since the beginning of 2023, Sam has been a staff writer for Awful Announcing and The Comeback. A 2021 graduate of Temple University, Sam is a Charlotte native, who currently calls Greenville, South Carolina his home. He also has a love/hate relationship with the New York Mets and Jets.