Joe Buck and Troy Aikman (Photo by Julio Aguilar/Getty Images)

If Joe Buck had stayed at FOX Sports, the network would have found another former NFL superstar to replace Troy Aikman as his partner.

Joe Buck joined FOX Sports in 1994, when he was just 25 years of age. He worked there through the 2021 NFL and MLB seasons before leaving to accept ESPN’s “Monday Night Football” position.

Aikman was the first to depart FOX Sports for ESPN in 2022. Buck had the decision to stay with the network or continue calling games with the three-time Super Bowl champion at the Worldwide Leader in Sports.

During an appearance on the “Yankees News and Views” podcast, Joe Buck revealed that FOX Sports proposed legendary NFL quarterback Tom Brady and former Pro Bowl tight end Greg Olsen as Aikman replacement options had he decided to stick around with FOX:

“When Troy bailed and went to ESPN I knew eventually, it was probably just going to be football. And everything I said about Troy earlier, I didn’t want to lose. And I didn’t want to start over in my mid-50s with somebody else and build that with an unknown.

They flashed Greg Olsen in front of me. Little did I know how great Greg Olsen was going to be, and he’s fantastic. And they flashed Tom Brady in front of me. I went for the known quantity, and I’m glad I did.”

2022 marked a giant shake-up around NFL media. Aikman and Buck took over the “Monday Night Football” broadcasts for Steve Levy, Louis Riddick and Brian Griese. Al Michaels left NBC and took on the “Thursday Night Football” game assignments on Amazon Prime Video with Kirk Herbstreit.

With Michaels leaving NBC, Mike Tirico was the new full-time play-by-play voice for “Sunday Night Football” alongside analyst Cris Collinsworth. Kevin Burkhardt and Olsen became the new No. 1 commentary team on FOX following the departures of Joe Buck and Troy Aikman.

Brady begins the first of a 10-year, $375 million deal with FOX Sports on Sunday. He will be on the network’s No. 1 team with Burkhardt. Olsen is on the second team with Joe Davis, who also replaced Buck as the lead announcer for FOX Sports’ MLB coverage.

Joe Buck & Troy Aikman Return To The Booth In 4 Days

Buck and Aikman will kick off their third season with ESPN in four days, when they travel to Levi’s Stadium to cal the San Francisco 49ers’ home opener against old friend Aaron Rodgers and the New York Jets.