Who would have thought that Pat McAfee’s fun, casual nature would make him a bad choice for replacing Troy Aikman?

“I don’t want McAfee in there in the booth on Monday Night Football,” Dan Patrick, a veteran ESPN broadcaster and host of The Dan Patrick Show, said. “I think he’s too big of a personality from the standpoint of, you know, kind of a fire starter. Like I want somebody who’s going to draw attention there, but I think Peyton and Eli would keep it to football and Pat might make it about other things. And I think that’s where you’d have to be. There would be some trepidation there.”

Pat McAfee’s fun and outspoken personality has made Patrick question whether he would be the right fit for the traditional Monday Night Football booth, as his approach can take the mind off football.

However, that does not mean he cannot handle serious football discussions. During Oct. 2-6, 2023, the show covered several important NFL topics and analytical football discussions.

Both quarterbacks C.J. Stroud and Baker Mayfield appeared on the show during the first week of October that year. Stroud spoke about dealing with criticism before the NFL Draft, while Baker Mayfield discussed how happy he was with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

On top of it, Pat McAfee’s show also discussed Brock Purdy’s performance, Mike Tomlin’s comments, and Evan Neal’s criticism of Giants fans.

Plus, McAfee has also gained respect for his football knowledge. One example is former Alabama coach Nick Saban, who showed how much he valued McAfee and his show when he appeared on it on October 5, 2023.

“We have a tremendous amount of respect for you,” Saban said. “This show has been great for us, so we’re going to send you this Alabama shirt with your number on it.”

But before Patrick’s confrontation, McAfee himself rejected the idea. Back in October, Front Office Sports columnist Michael McCarthy suggested that Pat McAfee’s new alternate broadcast, Field Pass with The Pat McAfee Show, could help him earn a bigger role at ESPN, possibly replacing Troy Aikman in the Monday Night Football booth.

However, McAfee denied any such plans. Responding to the report on X, he said, “This isn’t real. There’s been zero conversation about this.”

It all began with a feud between Joe Buck and Troy Aikman that reportedly started because of problems involving their ESPN contracts and changes to the Monday Night Football production team.

Before the Week 5 game between the Buffalo Bills and Los Angeles Rams, ESPN president Jimmy Pitaro had a tense, one-hour meeting with Aikman. He wanted to know if Aikman was still comfortable working with Buck. Aikman told him that he was willing to continue working with his longtime broadcast partner.

But before the kickoff, both had a tense fight. Buck confronted Aikman in the broadcast booth, saying, “I’m not the reason you don’t have a contract.”

Aikman didn’t hold back either as he said, “I never thought you’d do it to me.”

It’s because of the extension Buck received from ESPN, which is for six years, $108 million in May 2026, without telling Aikman. While Aikman is waiting for his as his contract will expire after the 2026 season.

There has been no new development in Troy Aikman’s contract situation with ESPN. His current deal expires after Super Bowl LXI in February 2027, and the network has yet to agree on an extension.

If he leaves ESPN, finding another major broadcasting job may not be easy. CBS has already chosen J.J. Watt to replace Tony Romo, leaving no opening for Aikman there.

So, for now, Troy Aikman’s future lies in massive uncertainty, with no answers.