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Joe Buck Discusses Monday Night Football Ratings and New Book Foreword on Pardon My Take
Joe Buck’s latest appearance on Barstool Sports’ flagship podcast, “Pardon My Take,” was as much a media moment as a casual chat. The veteran broadcaster spent the episode unpacking his new role as foreword author for the network’s debut book, “Pardon My Book,” which debuted on August 18 2026, and riffing on the pulse of Monday Night Football’s ratings.
During the interview with hosts Dan “Big Cat” Katz and PFT Commenter, Buck admitted that he checks MNF ratings every week for a modest ego boost. “Yeah, cause I know they’re all tuning in to go, ‘what’s he gonna say?!’” he joked. He added that while he wants his bosses and the NFL’s pay‑winners to be satisfied with the numbers, he does not believe he can influence them. “Do I look? Yeah. I want my bosses to be happy. I want the people who pay a lot of money to the NFL to be thrilled that we got a great rating,” Buck admitted. He also noted that he would sign an extension with ESPN “without even looking at it” earlier this year, a move that signals the network’s confidence in his value.
Buck’s partnership with former Dallas Cowboys quarterback Troy Aikman has been a cornerstone of MNF since the duo joined ESPN in 2022. The two broadcasters are the longest‑tenured announcing team in NFL history. Their arrival followed a period when MNF was described as having an identity crisis, with experiments such as the Jason Witten play‑by‑play stint and the BoogerMobile segment. According to the interview, Buck and Aikman “instantly revitalized the big‑game feel” of the program.
Buck’s career began in 1994 when he joined Fox Sports, where he served as the lead play‑by‑play announcer for the NFL and Major League Baseball. He has called six Super Bowls and 23 World Series games. In 2006, he moved to ESPN and ABC, where he became the voice of Monday Night Football. The broadcast itself has a long history: it started on ABC in 1970, moved exclusively to ESPN from 2006 to 2019, and returned to ABC in 2020 for simulcasts, expanding to full simulcasts in 2023. Monday Night Football is also available internationally on networks such as TSN in Canada, ESPN Australia, and ESPN International.
Buck’s smooth, focused style has earned him the 2020 Pete Rozelle Radio‑Television Award and the 2026 Ford C. Frick Award. His voice is recognizable to millions of viewers, and his partnership with Aikman has been credited with restoring the program’s prestige after a series of less successful experiments.
The interview on Pardon My Take also highlighted Buck’s involvement with the Barstool book project. He wrote the foreword for “Pardon My Book,” a compilation of the podcast’s most memorable moments and commentary. The book’s release on August 18 2026 coincided with the podcast’s 10‑year anniversary, and Buck’s participation was seen as a nod to the podcast’s broad audience.
Looking ahead, Buck will continue to call Monday Night Football through the end of his current contract, which is set to expire at the end of the 2026 season. ESPN has not yet announced any plans for a new lead play‑by‑play announcer. The network’s focus remains on maintaining strong viewership numbers for the flagship NFL program while balancing the growing popularity of alternate broadcasts such as the Manningcast and ESPN+ streams.
In summary, Joe Buck’s recent appearance on Pardon My Take confirmed his continued influence on Monday Night Football, his modest view of his impact on ratings, and his role in the new Barstool book. His partnership with Troy Aikman remains a key element of the program’s identity, and his contract extension signals ESPN’s confidence in his value to the network and the NFL.
During the interview with hosts Dan “Big Cat” Katz and PFT Commenter, Buck admitted that he checks MNF ratings every week for a modest ego boost. “Yeah, cause I know they’re all tuning in to go, ‘what’s he gonna say?!’” he joked. He added that while he wants his bosses and the NFL’s pay‑winners to be satisfied with the numbers, he does not believe he can influence them. “Do I look? Yeah. I want my bosses to be happy. I want the people who pay a lot of money to the NFL to be thrilled that we got a great rating,” Buck admitted. He also noted that he would sign an extension with ESPN “without even looking at it” earlier this year, a move that signals the network’s confidence in his value.
Buck’s partnership with former Dallas Cowboys quarterback Troy Aikman has been a cornerstone of MNF since the duo joined ESPN in 2022. The two broadcasters are the longest‑tenured announcing team in NFL history. Their arrival followed a period when MNF was described as having an identity crisis, with experiments such as the Jason Witten play‑by‑play stint and the BoogerMobile segment. According to the interview, Buck and Aikman “instantly revitalized the big‑game feel” of the program.
Buck’s career began in 1994 when he joined Fox Sports, where he served as the lead play‑by‑play announcer for the NFL and Major League Baseball. He has called six Super Bowls and 23 World Series games. In 2006, he moved to ESPN and ABC, where he became the voice of Monday Night Football. The broadcast itself has a long history: it started on ABC in 1970, moved exclusively to ESPN from 2006 to 2019, and returned to ABC in 2020 for simulcasts, expanding to full simulcasts in 2023. Monday Night Football is also available internationally on networks such as TSN in Canada, ESPN Australia, and ESPN International.
Buck’s smooth, focused style has earned him the 2020 Pete Rozelle Radio‑Television Award and the 2026 Ford C. Frick Award. His voice is recognizable to millions of viewers, and his partnership with Aikman has been credited with restoring the program’s prestige after a series of less successful experiments.
The interview on Pardon My Take also highlighted Buck’s involvement with the Barstool book project. He wrote the foreword for “Pardon My Book,” a compilation of the podcast’s most memorable moments and commentary. The book’s release on August 18 2026 coincided with the podcast’s 10‑year anniversary, and Buck’s participation was seen as a nod to the podcast’s broad audience.
Looking ahead, Buck will continue to call Monday Night Football through the end of his current contract, which is set to expire at the end of the 2026 season. ESPN has not yet announced any plans for a new lead play‑by‑play announcer. The network’s focus remains on maintaining strong viewership numbers for the flagship NFL program while balancing the growing popularity of alternate broadcasts such as the Manningcast and ESPN+ streams.
In summary, Joe Buck’s recent appearance on Pardon My Take confirmed his continued influence on Monday Night Football, his modest view of his impact on ratings, and his role in the new Barstool book. His partnership with Troy Aikman remains a key element of the program’s identity, and his contract extension signals ESPN’s confidence in his value to the network and the NFL.
