Joe Buck this offseason left his longtime broadcasting home at FOX to join his partner Troy Aikman at ESPN. Before he decided to make the change, Buck says he was approached by FOX with an interesting offer.
Buck spoke with “The Dan LeBatard Show with Stugotz” on Sunday from the American Century Championship in Lake Tahoe over the weekend. He said that FOX floated to him the idea of pairing with Tom Brady.
Buck says the offer came after his longtime broadcasting partner Aikman left for ESPN. Buck wasn’t convinced that Brady would actually enter the broadcasting world.
“They floated that to me before I left,” Buck said. “And I didn’t think it was completely realistic. I’m still not one hundred percent sure.”
Brady has a monstrous contract with FOX waiting for him after he retires from the NFL.
Buck considered the possibility of remaining at FOX, but he preferred to stick with his established partner.
“Staying with Troy, it’s a known quantity for me, at 53 years old at a place that’s now got Super Bowls. I’m like, ‘I’d rather take the known person and somebody I enjoy working with.’”
Buck also said he was happy his departure could clear spots for fellow broadcasters Joe Davis and Kevin Burkhardt to ascend at FOX.
Buck was previously serving as FOX’s lead announcer for both MLB and the NFL, which meant he called Super Bowls and the World Series. There are not any current plans for Buck to call MLB games for ESPN.
ESPN even had to pay a price to get Buck a year before the announcer’s FOX contract would expire.
H/T Awful Announcing
