Jerry Jones says Cowboys would be interested in hiring Troy Aikman if 'Monday Night Football' contract stalls

Posted by Admin October 27, 2026 NFL

If Troy Aikman finds himself out of a job after the 2026 NFL season, he won’t stay unemployed for long. Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones spoke glowingly about Aikman during a radio appearance Tuesday, with the owner saying he would have interest in bringing Aikman back to the organization if he’s looking for work.

Jones, 84, called Aikman “one of the hardest working, most focused people” he knows during an interview with 105.3 The Fan. While Jones said there were no immediate plans to bring Aikman in now, he added, “Don’t rule it out. It’s very possible.”

Jones’ comments come amid reports of unrest between Aikman, his broadcast partner Joe Buck and ESPN. The reported feud stems from Aikman’s contract situation. The former Cowboys quarterback is in his final year with ESPN and has yet to sign a long-term extension with the network to continue calling “Monday Night Football” games.

Things apparently came to a head in October, when Aikman and Buck got into a verbal altercation before a broadcast over Buck signing a massive, new extension with ESPN in September.

At the time, it was reported the network had yet to send a formal offer to Aikman.

When asked about the situation, Aikman declined to go into specifics, though did imply he was willing to court offers from other networks once his contract was up.

“I’ll broadcast through this season and I’ll be a free agent at the end of the year and kind of see what happens,” Aikman said in October. “I’m looking forward to whatever the rest of this year does hold with the Super Bowl and all that and where my next landing spot might be.”

Given Aikman’s years of experience as a broadcaster, it’s likely he would be a coveted free agent among other networks if he fails to come to a new deal with ESPN. That could complicate Jones’ plans to try and bring Aikman back to the Cowboys. If the former quarterback still wants to broadcast games, he should have that opportunity.

But if Aikman decides he’s ready for a change after almost three decades in the booth, the Cowboys make a lot of sense. Aikman starred with the franchise for his entire 12-year NFL career, leading the team to three Super Bowl titles and eventually making the Pro Football Hall of Fame. He’s clearly still well-loved within the organization.

In order for Aikman to take a job with the Cowboys, he would almost certainly have to end his consulting gig with the Miami Dolphins. That probably shouldn’t be viewed as a major barrier considering Aikman’s previous relationship with the Cowboys.

It will likely be months before any significant progress is made on Aikman’s next landing spot. Barring a surprising new deal, Aikman will have to wait for his ESPN contract to expire before multiple suitors come calling for his services. While many of those suitors will likely be other television networks, it certainly sounds like Jones will put in a call to his former quarterback.