‘Nightcaps’ is a daily column that catches you up on the biggest sports, news and culture stories you may have missed while pretending to do work at your desk. It runs Monday-Friday on OutKick.com.
Over the hump and safely into a big Thursday — which, during the fall, is basically the start of the weekend.
Congrats, you made it! Football tonight. Playoff baseball this afternoon AND tonight. More football tomorrow. And the next day. And the day after that!
Who has it better than us right now? We’re halfway through October, which is a bummer. That just means we need to appreciate this time even more.
And we will.
Let’s roll.
Welcome to a Thursday Nightcaps — the one where ESPN is about to make one of the dumbest decisions it has made in years, which is saying something given its recent history.
BREAKING UP TROY AIKMAN AND JOE BUCK WOULD BE A BIG MISTAKE FOR ESPN | BOBBY BURACK
What else? I’ve got Western Kentucky players partying with Sam Houston State cheerleaders after destroying the Bearkats last night, Dodgers fans are getting DRAGGED through the mud today, and MLB Network’s Abby Labar checks in on this third Thursday of October.
OK, grab you a headset and head on up to the ESPN booth because you could be next in line on Monday nights, and settle in for a Thursday ‘Cap!
ESPN commentator Troy Aikman looks on before the game between the Chicago Bears and the Philadelphia Eagles at Soldier Field on Sept. 28, 2026, in Chicago, Ill. (Getty Images)
ESPN isn’t gonna do this, are they?
I hate to start with a competitor today, but ESPN has left me no choice.
Obviously, the big story in the sports media world today is the ongoing riff between Troy Aikman and Joe Buck. It started to percolate a few days ago when a report said the two had an argument before Monday night’s game in LA, and it all stems from the fact the Buck recently signed a contract extension with ESPN.
Troy — Joe’s longtime partner in the booth — has not.
Some threw cold water on the report, which came from Front Office Sports.
Some. Not Troy.
Take a listen:
SUPER BOWL LXI GETS PAT MCAFEE TREATMENT AS ESPN ADDS ALTERNATE BROADCAST
This would be a stunning, and stupid, move to make
“There’s probably a time and a place for all that. I don’t know if now is the time,” Aikman said when asked about it this morning. “I don’t know if it’s hard to figure out kind of what happened. I’ll broadcast through this season and I’ll be a free agent at the end of the year and kind of see what happens.
“I’m looking forward to whatever the rest of this season does hold and the Super Bowl and all that and where my next landing spot may be.”
Lordy. Couple things …
- Aikman didn’t deny the reported argument, which means it happened.
- Joe and Troy have been together for nearly three decades. Separating them would be shocking levels of stupid by ESPN.
- I wrote a few weeks ago that Tony Romo’s departure from CBS (“departure”) and Aikman’s non-extension from ESPN would be something to watch. It still is.
There’s also this little video that’s making the rounds in the wake of the reported argument. It was taken by a fan before Monday’s game in LA, and shows Buck and his wife appearing to have some sort of … disagreement? … on the field during warm-ups:
Could be nothing, but … it could also be something.
My take? I’d be stunned if ESPN let Aikman go. Stunned. These two were a package deal when they joined ESPN a few years ago, and, by all accounts (ratings!), it’s been one of the very few successes at the company in the last decade.
Joe Buck and Troy Aikman look on before a game between the Dallas Cowboys and Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the NFC Wild Card playoff game at Raymond James Stadium on Jan. 16, 2023, in Tampa, Fla. (Getty Images)
As for potential landing spots for Aikman should ESPN not pony up …
- Amazon Prime has Kirk Herbstreit, but there is an out-clause in the deal that allows Prime to sign a high-profile target should he become available. I’d imagine Troy Aikman fits that bill.
- Plenty of folks will also point to the now-vacated seat at CBS alongside Jim Nantz. JJ Watt is filling it this year, but I’d imagine putting Troy Aikman next to Jim Nantz will be tempting.
- Netflix is becoming a major player in the NFL. Don’t know if they will have enough games to entice Aikman, but it’s a place to watch.
- Collinsworth isn’t going anywhere at NBC.
- There’s also the chance that Troy could leave the booth altogether and join an NFL front office. Remember, he worked with the Dolphins this past offseason in hiring new GM Jon-Eric Sullivan. So far, that hiring has looked excellent given Miami’s draft class this season.
Bottom line? ESPN would be INSANE to do this. But, as we’ve learned through the years, ESPN is a generally insane company.
The good news? For you McAfee haters out there, you don’t have to worry about him joining the booth any time soon:
Western Kentucky had a big night, Dodgers fans did NOT & reader mail!
Could you imagine the absolute outrage if ESPN put Pat McAfee in the MNF booth? The internet would burn. Part of me just wants to see it happen for the meltdown.
Sadly, it appears to be a silly rumor, which almost NEVER happens on the internet!
OK, let’s rapid-fire this Thursday class into a big night of FOOTBALL! First up? I’ve spent all day kicking myself for putting actual US currency on the Sam Houston Bearkats last night. They got smoked by Western Kentucky, and looked lifeless the entire game.
The Hilltoppers won, 16-3 (miserable game to watch), and then proceeded to rub salt in the wound when the final buzzer rang:
Incredible. What a move by these Western Kentucky players. Beating the brakes off a team on its home turf is one thing, but to then put the moves on its cheerleaders when it’s all said and done is next-level psychological warfare.
That’s tough to come back from as a program …
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And so is this, for you Dodgers fans:
A general view inside Dodger Stadium as fans look on during the fourth inning between the Milwaukee Brewers and the Los Angeles Dodgers in Game 3 of the National League Championship Series on Oct. 14, 2026, in Los Angeles, Calif. (Getty Images)
Lordy. Brutal — and I mean brutal — showing for the LA faithful last night. No sugar-coating that. The internet has ganged up on the Rays throughout these playoffs for the empty seats at The Trop, so we have to be fair and hammer the Dodgers here.
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You can’t have empty seats for an NLCS game. You just can’t do it.
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Bad look.
Finally, on the way out, here’s MLB Network’s Abby Labar getting in a workout while the rest of the world freaks out about Shane Gillis.
Patriot.
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See y’all tomorrow.
Thoughts on Aikman and Buck? Zach.Dean@OutKick.com.