The quip about Justin Jefferson's diamond chain landed differently given Aikman's ongoing contract tension with ESPN.
Troy Aikman made a joke on Monday night that probably wasn't about his own paycheck, but it sure sounded like it was. During ESPN's broadcast of the Buffalo Bills and Minnesota Vikings, Minnesota wide receiver Justin Jefferson's massive diamond chain became a topic of conversation shortly before halftime, and Aikman cracked that he needed money to try it on himself.
The line landed given what's been happening behind the scenes at ESPN. Joe Buck quietly signed a long-term contract extension with the network in the spring, while Aikman has been left without what he considers a serious offer. The differing trajectories for the two broadcasters have become a well documented source of tension in the Monday Night Football booth, even if that tension mostly hasn't spilled into the actual broadcast.
It hasn't gone unnoticed elsewhere either. Former ESPN personality Ryan Clark has said he can relate to Aikman's contract situation with the network, and some have suggested the network is positioning Aikman as the difficult party in the dispute with Buck. For now, the on-air chemistry remains intact, jokes about diamond chains included.