Troy Aikman’s future with ESPN remains up in the air as his current contract is set to expire after the Super Bowl. While Joe Buck has already landed a lucrative contract extension, the lack of progress in Aikman’s negotiations has fueled speculation about his broadcasting future.

It remains unclear whether Aikman would consider returning to ESPN if discussions resume, especially as the network seems to be exploring other options. Amid the uncertainty surrounding Aikman’s ESPN career, former Dallas Cowboys star Darren Woodson has shared an eye-opening take on the realities of the broadcasting business.

Darren Woodson Shares Brutal ESPN Reality Check as Troy Aikman’s Future Remains Uncertain

Andrew Marchand of The Athletic reported that ESPN could explore several high-profile options to replace Aikman, including Travis Kelce, Peyton Manning, Eli Manning, and Jason Kelce. Marchand also mentioned Kirk Herbstreit as a possible temporary replacement, though Herbstreit recently re-signed with Prime Video.

Meanwhile, there has been no clarity on what Aikman intends to pursue after his current contract expires.

In “The Darren Woodson Show” on Thursday, Woodson discussed Aikman’s uncertain position at ESPN. In that context, he also recalled his mentor advising him against pursuing a broadcasting opportunity with the network as he was transitioning out of his playing career.

“He said, ‘Don’t even look at ESPN. Just jump right on in. You could get a landing pad. I’ll help out in the process,’” Woodson said. “And I was like, ‘Yeah, I want to go try this ESPN thing.’ And he kept telling me, ‘Don’t do it.’ I said, ‘Well, why?’… He said, ‘I’m going to exit my business. I’m going to build this business, and I’m going to exit it.’

“He said, ‘The only exit that you’re going to get when you go to ESPN, they’re going to love you for a while. You’re going to be the new guy. You’re a former Cowboy. Ratings are going to go up, but the only exit they’re going to show you is that, in the end, you’re not going to be the shiny toy, and they’re going to exit you out the door.”

Woodson eventually joined ESPN, making appearances on NFL Live, SportsCenter, and First Take. However, his experience watching other former NFL players lose their positions made him reconsider how much of his future he wanted to invest in television.

Woodson specifically pointed to former NFL star Jerome Bettis, who was let go during ESPN’s 2017 rounds of layoffs, to make his case.

“That’s just the process,” Woodson said. “If you don’t own it, you’re just a commodity.. “I watched guys go in and out, and I thought, this is not going to, I don’t want to be on that end, and I had to walk away from it.”

Woodson was a second-round pick by the Cowboys in 1992 and was named to the Pro Bowl five times. He won three Super Bowls and was a three-time All-Pro, which was enough to pursue a broadcasting career.

However, Woodson wanted to avoid the career uncertainty he had witnessed among other former players. He is currently an entrepreneur in tech, e-commerce, and real estate.