Erin Andrews on Losing Troy Aikman & Joe Buck: 'Oh God, I Cried'
We know that Fox broadcasts will be different in 2022 as the long-time "A-Team" of Joe Buck and Troy Aikman are moving to ESPN to be the new faces of Monday Night Football.
Erin Andrews has been the sideline reporter for that crew since 2014, when she replaced Pam Oliver. What are Andrews' thoughts on Aikman and Buck leaving FOX?
She recently addressed the departure of her long-time colleagues on her podcast, and admitted she got emotional during their goodbyes.
“This all happened fast,” Andrews said. “I wasn’t expecting it. I’ll be completely honest, I don’t think a lot of people were. I am known for being one tough cookie. I can deal with a lot of things, I have dealt with a lot of things, but when I had to speak to both of those guys separately when they both had officially left ... Oh God, I cried.
“I don’t think they both expected that from me. I’ll cry right now … I told both of them I came to Fox to work with them. I just thought it would be so cool to do games with them.”
Aikman agreed to leave Fox for ESPN first, then he was joined by Buck, who still had one year and $11 million remaining on his contract. Buck was allowed to sign with ESPN after a "TV Trade" was worked out.
By the time their ESPN deal expires, Aikman/Buck will eclipse the immortal team of Pat Summerall/John Madden as the NFL's longest-tenured TV broadcast team.
According to The New York Post, Fox will now receive the right to pick one Big Ten football game before ESPN in the 2022 season.
Is Andrews next to jump networks?
“I mean, no, I don’t want those guys to leave me are you kidding?” the sideline reporter recently told The Spun of her joining up at Fox with Buck and Aikman. “This has been the best career move I’ve ever made in my life and those guys are like my brothers or my best friends.”
Even though Aikman and Buck have jumped ship for ESPN, Andrews is still confident in the future of the NFL on Fox.
“With the change that’s happening at Fox, I do have faith in our network,” Andrews added. “I know they have obviously been an amazing network for so long.”
