Troy Aikman: ESPN Contract, Broadcasting, Retirement and Beer

Troy Aikman is one of the most recognizable names in NFL broadcasting. After becoming a Dallas Cowboys legend during his playing career, Aikman transitioned into television and built another successful career as an NFL analyst. He currently works for ESPN on Monday Night Football alongside play-by-play announcer Joe Buck.

Aikman has also expanded his business interests beyond football. In 2022, he launched EIGHT Brewing Company, giving him a connection to the beer industry. His ESPN contract, retirement date and beer business continue to attract interest from NFL fans.

Troy Aikman ESPN Contract

Troy Aikman joined ESPN in 2022 after spending more than two decades broadcasting NFL games for FOX. ESPN signed Aikman and Joe Buck as part of a major move to bring the longtime broadcasting duo to Monday Night Football.

Aikman’s current ESPN contract is a five-year deal reportedly worth $90 million. The agreement runs through the 2026 NFL season and is scheduled to end after Super Bowl LXI in February 2027.

That contract made Aikman one of the highest-paid sports broadcasters in the United States. His role includes providing game analysis for ESPN’s Monday Night Football broadcasts.

As of September 2026, Aikman remains in the booth with Buck. ESPN’s official 2026 NFL coverage announcement lists Buck, Aikman and Lisa Salters as the core Monday Night Football broadcast team.

Is Troy Aikman Still Broadcasting?

Yes. Troy Aikman is still an NFL broadcaster for ESPN.

He joined ESPN in 2022 after leaving FOX. Aikman and Buck had already established one of the NFL’s most recognizable broadcast partnerships during their time at FOX.

ESPN says the pair began working together in 2002 in a three-person booth that also included Cris Collinsworth. They later became a two-person team in 2005.

Their partnership has continued at ESPN, where Aikman provides analysis and Buck handles the play-by-play duties.

The 2026 season is particularly significant because ESPN is carrying its first Super Bowl, with Super Bowl LXI scheduled for February 14, 2027.

When Did Troy Aikman Retire From the NFL?

Troy Aikman retired from professional football in 2001.

His final NFL season came in 2000 with the Dallas Cowboys. He officially announced his retirement on April 9, 2001. ESPN’s career timeline reports that he retired after being released by Dallas in March 2001.

Aikman finished his playing career after 12 NFL seasons, all with the Cowboys. Dallas selected him with the first overall pick in the 1989 NFL Draft.

He became one of the most successful quarterbacks of his era, leading the Cowboys to three Super Bowl victories during the 1990s.

Aikman was later inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2006.

Why Did Troy Aikman Retire?

Aikman’s retirement came after an injury-plagued final season and the end of his long run with Dallas.

During the 2000 season, he missed five games and was knocked out of three other games in the first quarter, according to ESPN’s career retrospective.

The Cowboys released him in March 2001, and Aikman subsequently decided to end his playing career.

His retirement did not keep him away from football for long. Just one week after announcing his retirement, Aikman accepted a position with FOX as an NFL game analyst.

That decision marked the beginning of his second major career in professional football.

Troy Aikman’s Broadcasting Career

Aikman joined FOX full-time as a game analyst in 2001. He quickly established himself as one of the network’s leading NFL analysts.

He eventually formed his famous partnership with Joe Buck. Together, the pair called numerous major NFL games and Super Bowls before moving to ESPN in 2022.

According to Aikman’s official business biography, he and Buck called six Super Bowls during their FOX years.

At ESPN, the partnership continued on Monday Night Football.

Aikman’s experience as a former NFL quarterback has helped shape his broadcasting style. He frequently explains quarterback decisions, offensive concepts and game situations from the perspective of someone who played the position at the highest level.

Troy Aikman and Beer

Troy Aikman is also involved in the beer business.

In 2022, he founded EIGHT Brewing Company, which launched EIGHT Elite Light Lager. The company is connected to Aikman’s famous No. 8, which he wore throughout his football career.

Aikman’s official business website says the beer brand launched in Texas and became the fastest independent beer-brand launch in the state’s history according to the company.

The brand is built around a light-lager concept and Aikman’s football identity.

Why Is Troy Aikman’s Beer Called EIGHT?

The name EIGHT comes from Aikman’s iconic jersey number.

Aikman wore No. 8 at UCLA and throughout his NFL career with the Dallas Cowboys. The number therefore became closely associated with his identity as a quarterback.

The EIGHT brand later became part of a trademark dispute involving Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson, who also wears No. 8.

In 2024, Jackson challenged some of Aikman’s trademark applications involving the word “EIGHT,” including products such as beer. In 2025, Jackson withdrew his opposition with prejudice, allowing Aikman’s company to continue pursuing the disputed trademark uses.

Troy Aikman NFL Career

Aikman spent his entire NFL playing career with the Dallas Cowboys.

He was the first overall pick in the 1989 NFL Draft and became the starting quarterback for one of the league’s most successful teams of the 1990s.

During his career, Aikman helped Dallas win three Super Bowls:

• Super Bowl XXVII
• Super Bowl XXVIII
• Super Bowl XXX

He also established numerous Cowboys passing records.

Aikman’s official biography lists 2,898 career completions, 32,942 passing yards and 165 touchdown passes for Dallas.

His playing career ended in 2000, but his connection with the NFL continued almost immediately through broadcasting.

Troy Aikman Today

Troy Aikman remains active in several areas. He continues to work as an ESPN NFL analyst while also being involved in his business ventures.

His football career, broadcasting work and EIGHT beer company have created a second chapter after his retirement from the NFL.

For fans searching for Troy Aikman’s ESPN contract, the key point is that his current reported five-year, $90 million deal runs through the 2026 season. His broadcasting future beyond that contract had not been finalized as of September 2026, while ESPN has continued to feature him alongside Joe Buck during the current season.

FAQs

When did Troy Aikman retire?

Troy Aikman retired from the NFL on April 9, 2001, after playing his final season with the Dallas Cowboys in 2000.

What is Troy Aikman’s ESPN contract?

Aikman signed a reported five-year, $90 million ESPN contract in 2022. The deal runs through the 2026 season and ends after Super Bowl LXI in February 2027.

Is Troy Aikman still broadcasting?

Yes. Aikman continues to work as an NFL analyst for ESPN’s Monday Night Football.

Does Troy Aikman own a beer company?

Aikman founded EIGHT Brewing Company in 2022. The company produces EIGHT Elite Light Lager.

Why is Troy Aikman’s beer called EIGHT?

EIGHT refers to the No. 8 jersey Aikman wore during his football career.

Who broadcasts Monday Night Football with Troy Aikman?

Joe Buck is Aikman’s play-by-play partner, while Lisa Salters serves as the sideline reporter. ESPN’s 2026 coverage continues to feature the trio.

Conclusion

Troy Aikman’s career has extended far beyond his days as the Dallas Cowboys’ quarterback. After retiring from the NFL in 2001, he quickly moved into broadcasting and became one of football’s most prominent television analysts.

His move to ESPN in 2022 reunited him with Joe Buck on Monday Night Football. Meanwhile, his EIGHT Brewing Company has given Aikman another business venture connected to his famous No. 8 jersey.

As the 2026 NFL season continues, Aikman remains an important part of ESPN’s football coverage, with his current reported contract running through the 2026 season.