Longtime sports broadcaster Joe Buck is making his debut on “Monday Night Football” tonight with color analyst Troy Aikman on ESPN for the Denver Broncos-Seattle Seahawks game. Baseball and football fans have typically voiced their displeasure at hearing Buck’s voice on big games.
Buck spent 20 years calling NFL games and 25 years doing Major League Baseball games on Fox, now he and Aikman made the move to cover the popular Monday night games for ESPN this year. Ironically, it’s a matchup of one of the Super Bowl games they covered. Denver quarterback Russell Wilson makes his return to Seattle for the matchup.
Photo by Ray Tamarra/GC Images
Just like 2020 when fans realized Buck was calling Super Bowl 54 in Miami, 2022 fans went straight to Twitter to not only complain about him, but mock him. Some fans said they wouldn’t watch MNF while some said they would switch to ESPN2 for the same game called relaxed and nonchalantly by Peyton and Eli Manning.
Here’s what folks were saying on Twitter when they found out Joe Buck was now the lead announcer Monday night.
I feel like I’m losing my mind hearing Joe Buck on ESPN
— Nico (@elitetakes_) September 13, 2022
What is going to be more weird Russ in a Broncos uniform or Joe Buck on MNF
— Lets Go Mets Giants Knicks and Rangers (@metsrangers11) September 12, 2022
Lack of enthusiasm most of his career. That and it’s the cool thing to hate on Joe Buck ?
— Ben ✍? (@MonkeysGG_) September 12, 2022
It wasn’t all bad for Buck, though, as several thought he and Aikman were the perfect fit to resurrect a longstanding show that seemingly fell off the rails in recent years.
I think having Joe Buck and Troy Aikman on the mic would go along way in restoring MNF’s luster…a full time return to ABC would be even better… https://t.co/t4dcpgAiH8
— Louis Valverde (@therealValverde) September 12, 2022
Joe Buck and Troy Aikman are instantly the best Monday Night Football team of all time.
— Andrew from Webstah ?? (@agentsmith012) September 13, 2022
Joe Buck is the son of former broadcaster Jack Buck, who did play-by-play at 17 Super Bowls for CBS radio. Joe became Fox’s lead play-by-play broadcaster in 2002, and he calls the network’s dubbed America’s Game of the Week every Sunday during regular season, and he also calls the weekly Thursday night game.
In addition to his sixth Super Bowl, Buck is the lead play-by-play announcer for Fox’s coverage of Major League Baseball. He has covered 23 World Series, 24 MLB All-Star Games and 25 MLB League Championship Series. Buck, who is a seven-time Emmy Award winner, was also the lead golf announcer for Fox.
Fox ran a series of commercials in 2002 that called Buck, Aikman and Chris Collinsworth the “A Team” of its broadcasters. Collinsworth has since left, and calls games for NBC’s Sunday Night Football.
The previous top duo on Fox was Pat Sumrall and John Madden, who called the 2002 Super Bowl following the 2001 season.
Buck and Aikman have called the following Super Bowls together (winner in bold):
Super Bowl XXXIX
New England Patriots vs. Philadelphia Eagles, in Jacksonville, Fla. (2005)
Super Bowl XLII
New England Patriots vs. New York Giants in Glendale, Ariz. (2008)
Super Bowl XLV
Pittsburgh Steelers vs. Green Bay Packers in Arlington, Texas (2011)
Super Bowl XLVIII
Denver Broncos vs. Seattle Seahawks in East Rutherford, N.J (2014)
Super Bowl LI
New England Patriots vs. Atlanta Falcons in Houston, Texas (2017)
Super Bowl LIV
Kansas City Chiefs vs San Francisco 49ers in Miami, Florida (2020)
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