Troy Aikman, an ESPN play-by-play announcer, is now under fire for using sexist language during an NFL broadcast. The former football player made a comment during the show that sparked outrage among thousands of Americans, and now his career with the Disney-owned sports broadcaster could be in jeopardy. Aikman’s potentially career-ending remark was made during the national broadcast of the Oakland Raiders and Kansas City Chiefs game this past week.
Aikman’s role as a play-by-play announcer for ESPN’s Monday Night Football is one that few people have, but many want. With Aikman having had a prior career in the NFL, he was given the announcers role because people believed he knew what he talking about. Now, however, after revealing himself to be sexist on national television, fans of ESPN are demanding an apology and resignation from Aikman.
Aikman made a career-threatening comment during the second quarter when disagreeing with a roughing the passer call that was made by a referee. In conversation with Joe Buck, Aikman said something distasteful that could end his broadcasting days earlier than he had planned.
Chiefs defensive linesman Chris Jones sacked Raiders quarterback Derek Carr and then lay on top of him, which resulted in a referee throwing a flag shortly after.
On Monday, ESPN aired Aikman’s sexist statement to their national audience. The statement was the following: “My hope is the [NFL] Competition Committee looks at this in the next set of meetings, and you know, we take the dresses off.”
Aikman wanted to criticize the NFL’s policy of penalizing defenders who manage to sack quarterbacks before being blocked by offensive linebackers. While Aikman’s issue with the call might be valid, and some NFL fans agree that it is unfair to defensive players, many people took offense to his sexist delivery of the complaint.
“Troy Aikman really needs to find a non-misogynistic way to critique the call besides ‘take the dresses off,’” one user said on Twitter. “And I say this as someone who heard this misogyny normalized by coaches as a kid and even participated myself. Way past time to end such sports talk.”
“Did Troy Aikman really just say what I think he said? Did he really just say that it’s time for the league to ‘take the dresses off?’” a radio show host said. “The ’60s called. They want their chauvinist back. Seriously ESPN… do better than that c**p.”
“I don’t feel like ‘take the dresses off’ is the euphemism ESPN wants Troy Aikman to use when criticizing a weak roughing the passer call,” another NFL fan wrote.
Another person said, “Catching up on MNF on NF+, and Troy Aikman is driving me nuts. Not just with the infamous dress comment, but calling the protection of quarterbacks’ ridiculous’ in the face of what was done to Tagovailoa (twice, in two consecutive games) is weird.”
What are your thoughts on whether or not Troy Aikman’s career as an ESPN announcer will come to a close? Alternatively, do you think he will issue an apology instead?
