Joe Buck and Troy Aikman. You know the voices. For years, they were the sound of Sunday afternoons on Fox, but the shift to the "Worldwide Leader" changed the entire vibe of Monday nights. Honestly, watching ESPN Monday Night Football announcers feels different now. It’s less like a stiff corporate broadcast and more like a high-stakes, big-budget movie that happens to have a football game in the middle of it.
The chemistry is real.
When ESPN backed up the Brinks truck in 2022 to snag this duo, they weren't just buying play-by-play skills. They were buying twenty years of shared history. That’s a long time to sit next to someone in a tiny booth. You’ve probably noticed how they finish each other's thoughts or how Joe knows exactly when to shut up so Troy can let a big hit breathe. It’s a rhythmic thing.
Who’s in the Main Booth Right Now?
The core team for the 2025-2026 season hasn't really changed at the top, but the "sideline" got a lot more crowded. Joe Buck handles the play-by-play, and Troy Aikman is your lead color analyst. They’re currently in the middle of five-year deals that pay them a combined $30 million-ish per year. That's more than some of the guys on the field are making.
But here is the twist.
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Beginning with the 2025 season, ESPN decided one sideline reporter wasn't enough. Lisa Salters, the veteran who’s been there since 2012, is now joined by Laura Rutledge on a full-time basis. It’s a two-reporter system. Salters usually handles the heavy lifting—injury updates and serious coach interviews—while Rutledge, the host of NFL Live, brings a more analytical, "insider" vibe to the grass level.
The Second Crew You Might See
Because the NFL schedule is now a chaotic mess of doubleheaders, you won't always see Buck and Aikman. On those nights where there are two games at once—usually early in the season or during Week 18—ESPN rolls out their "B-Team."
- Chris Fowler: The voice of college football.
- Dan Orlovsky: The guy who once ran out of the back of his own end zone (he's actually a great analyst now).
- Louis Riddick: A former scout who sees the game like a chess match.
- Katie George & Peter Schrager: The sideline reporters for this secondary broadcast.
Schrager is a fun addition. He’s the guy you see on Good Morning Football who seems to know every equipment manager and backup long snapper in the league. Adding him to the sideline was a smart move to keep the energy high when the "A-Team" is off calling a different game.
The ManningCast: The Alternate Reality
We have to talk about Peyton and Eli. If you aren't watching the ManningCast on ESPN2, you're basically missing a two-hour comedy routine with occasional football. It’s officially called Monday Night Football with Peyton and Eli, and it has completely changed how people watch sports.
There is no play-by-play.
They just sit on their couches in quarter-zips, yell at the TV when a quarterback misses a read, and invite people like Bill Murray or George W. Bush to chat. For the 2025 season, they expanded their schedule to 12 games. It’s messy. Peyton gets frustrated with the delay in the audio. Eli makes fun of Peyton’s forehead. It’s the most human sports broadcast ever made.
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Why the ManningCast Works
- Zero Filter: Peyton cannot hide his disgust for bad quarterback play.
- The Guests: One minute you’re watching a goal-line stand, the next you’re listening to Snoop Dogg talk about his youth football league.
- Real Insight: When they actually focus on the game, you learn more about defensive coverage in five minutes than you would in a whole season of standard commentary.
What Most People Get Wrong About the Contracts
There’s a lot of chatter about the money. People see the $90 million figure for Aikman or the $75 million for Buck and think it’s just for 17 nights of work. It isn't.
Both guys are deep into the ESPN ecosystem now. They show up on Get Up, they do SportsCenter hits, and they’re producing content for ESPN+. They are also the faces of the network’s push toward Super Bowl LXI in early 2027. ESPN hasn't had a Super Bowl since... well, a long time. They are building a "big game" feel so that by the time the Super Bowl rolls around, the audience is used to these voices as the gold standard.
The Evolution of the Sideline
Lisa Salters is the unsung hero here. She’s the longest-tenured sideline reporter in Monday Night Football history. In an era where "influencer" reporters are becoming a thing, Salters is a journalist. She asks the questions coaches hate, and she does it with a level of credibility that’s hard to find.
Adding Laura Rutledge wasn't about replacing Salters; it was about coverage. With the NFL's new "flexible scheduling" and the sheer volume of information coming out of a locker room, one person can’t be everywhere. Rutledge acts as a bridge between the studio world of NFL Live and the live game. It makes the whole ESPN NFL brand feel like one continuous conversation.
The Spanish Broadcast and International Feeds
If you flip over to ESPN Deportes, you’re getting a totally different energy. Rebeca Landa and Sebastian Martinez-Christensen have taken over the booth there. John Sutcliffe is still the man on the sidelines for the Spanish feed—he’s a legend in his own right, famously known for his "English/Spanish" hybrid reports that have a cult following.
Why This Matters for Your Monday Night
The announcer lineup is more than just background noise. It dictates the "temperature" of your evening. If you want the classic, "this is a big deal" feel, you stay on ESPN for Buck and Aikman. If you want to feel like you’re at a bar with two Super Bowl-winning brothers who happen to be hilarious, you go to the ManningCast on ESPN2.
ESPN has basically created a "choose your own adventure" for football fans.
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They realized that the old way of doing things—one booth, one style, take it or leave it—was dying. By diversifying the voices, they've kept the Monday night franchise alive even when the matchups on the field aren't great.
Actionable Insights for Fans
- Check the Schedule: Not every game is a ManningCast game. They only do about 12 a year. If you're looking for Peyton and Eli and find a documentary on ESPN2 instead, check the schedule on the ESPN Press Room site.
- Use the App: If you have ESPN+, you can often toggle between different audio feeds, including the Spanish-language broadcast.
- Follow the Reporters: If you want early injury news, follow Lisa Salters and Laura Rutledge on social media. They often post updates 15-20 minutes before they actually get a "hit" on the TV broadcast.
The era of the "monolithic" announcer is over. Between the legendary chemistry of Buck and Aikman and the chaotic brilliance of the Mannings, the soundtrack of your Monday night is now whatever you want it to be.
Next Steps for You: Check your local listings for the next MNF doubleheader. When there are two games, remember that Chris Fowler and Dan Orlovsky usually take the earlier or ESPN-exclusive game, while Buck and Aikman handle the "main" event on ABC/ESPN. If you're a fan of deep tactical analysis, pay close attention to the Orlovsky/Riddick booth—they often dive deeper into the "why" of a play than the lead crew.