Troy Aikman salary breakdown: How much does ESPN announcer make under massive contract?

Gilbert McGregor

Troy Aikman salary breakdown: How much does ESPN announcer make under massive contract? image

Three-time Super Bowl champion, Pro Football Hall of Famer and NFL broadcasting fixture Troy Aikman has a new home for the 2022 season, leaving Fox to join ESPN's presentation of "Monday Night Football" alongside longtime partner Joe Buck.

Aikman's move comes after he spent 20 seasons with Fox, signaling a drastic shift in the dynamic of the NFL's weekly broadcasts.

Before stepping foot into the booth for ESPN, the move paid dividends for Aikman, who, as one of the league's most prominent voices, commanded a hefty salary to join the network.

MORE: Complete guide to new NFL broadcast teams for 2022

Here's a breakdown of Aikman's contract, annual salary and net worth after the big move and massive deal:

Troy Aikman net worth in 2022

According to Celebrity Net Worth, Aikman is worth $65 million. The actual figure could be difficult to nail down as Aikman earned more than $55 million during his playing career and reportedly netted around $7.5 million annually during his time in the booth for Fox, in addition to several endorsements and other commercial endeavors.

What is Troy Aikman's salary at ESPN?

When news of Aikman's move first surfaced, Andrew Marchand of the New York Post reported that Aikman's annual salary is expected to be in the neighborhood of $17.5 million, a benchmark set by CBS NFL analyst Tony Romo.

Based on reported figures, Aikman's contract averages out to around $18 million annually. 

Troy Aikman contract details

Marchand described Aikman's deal, which has a lifetime of five years, as being in "the $90 million-and-change range," with some of his reports indicating that Aikman's contract is worth up to as much as $92.5 million. 

As part of the deal, Aikman and Buck will also provide content for ESPN+ original programming outside of "Monday Night Football" broadcasts.

How much does Troy Aikman make per game?

ESPN will provide coverage of 23 games during the 2022 NFL season, including 18 regular-season broadcasts of "Monday Night Football," a Saturday doubleheader in Week 18 and a "Monday Night Super Wild Card Game" in the 2022 playoffs.

With doubleheaders on the schedule, the duo of Aikman and Buck won't cover all of ESPN's 23 games this season. That said, Aikman will earn just under $1 million per game since he will be a part of the crew for roughly 20 games.

MORE: Why Joe Buck and Troy Aikman left Fox to join ESPN's 'Monday Night Football' booth

How much did Troy Aikman make in the NFL?

According to Spotrac, Aikman earned $55.5 million in total over the course of his 12 seasons in the NFL, rounding out to an annual average of about $4.6 million a year.

Aikman's new reported annual salary with ESPN is more than he ever made in one season during his playing career. During the 1999 season, the Cowboys tacked on a $13 million signing bonus to Aikman's $3 million salary, giving him $16 million for the year.

Gilbert McGregor

Gilbert McGregor Photo

Gilbert McGregor first joined The Sporting News in 2018 as a content producer for Global editions of NBA.com. Before covering the game, McGregor played basketball collegiately at Wake Forest, graduating with a Communication degree in 2016. McGregor began covering the NBA during the 2017-18 season and has been on hand for a number of league events.