Troy Aikman Scathes Referees for Excessive Penalties During Bengals-Broncos Game

Karl Rasmussen | Sep 29, 2025

Troy Aikman and Joe Buck before a Monday Night Football game. / Kirthmon F. Dozier / USA TODAY NETWORK

The NFL had a pair of games on the slate for Monday night, though neither matchup delivered much excitement for fans watching at home. Even Troy Aikman couldn't help but voice his frustrations during a penalty-laden game between the Bengals and Broncos, expressing his displeasure over the frquent stoppages due to penalties.

After a blindside block was called against Denver, Aikman couldn't help but disparage the decision to throw the flag, even if the call was the right one.

"I'm not gonna keep my mouth shut. That's a good call. Just not a necessary call," Aikman said on the ESPN broadcast, to agreement from Joe Buck.

"Nothing brings a broadcast to a screeching halt more than these yellow flags," Aikman added.

"I'm not gonna keep my mouth shut. That's a good call. Just not a necessary call."

"Nothing brings a broadcast to a screeching halt more than these yellow flags."

"The product's just not very good. I'm gonna be honest...I mean, this is ridiculous."

- Troy Aikman pic.twitter.com/8pErfB34T2

— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) September 30, 2025

A play later, yet another flag was thrown for an illegible man down field. This penalty was the 22nd of Monday's game, and Aikman had clearly seen enough.

"The product's just not very good. I'm gonna be honest. It's just not very good. I mean, this is ridiculous," Aikman said in response.

Again, Aikman wasn't disagreeing with the call, but he certainly was questioning whether every small infraction needed to be whistled. With so many stoppages disrupting the flow of the game, it's easy to see why he was frustrated with the officiating, even if they were making the correct judgements.

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