Imagine if the NFL managed to keep its script under wraps for decades, just to have Joe Buck casually let it slip out on Monday Night Football.
To the non-conspiracy theorists, Buck was just making a joke Monday night. But to the many conspiracy theorists, it was fuel.
During this week’s Monday Night Football broadcast featuring the Los Angeles Chargers and Philadelphia Eagles, Buck teased ESPN and ABC getting back into the Super Bowl rotation with Super Bowl LXI on Feb. 14, 2027 from SoFi Stadium. And after the tease, Buck casually asked Aikman if he saw the script.
Troy Aikman: “You’re going to be my date on Valentine’s Day (Feb. 14, 2027 for Super Bowl LXI on ESPN/ABC).”
Joe Buck: “It’s looking that way, yes… Have you seen the script? Do you know who’s going to play in that one yet?” 🏈📺🎙️💘 #NFL #MNF pic.twitter.com/LI1tTVlYaa
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) December 9, 2025
“Have you seen the script, do you know who’s gonna play in that one?” Buck asked. “I saw it.”
“No,” Aikman said before a chuckle.
“I’ll let you know later,” quietly added.
Every so often, fuel gets added to the belief that the NFL might be rigged and just following along with one big script like the WWE. On his podcast that explores “conspiracies, conundrums, and the dark corners of the deep web” with PFT Commenter, former NFL running back Arian Foster created a stir a few years ago by claiming the league is rigged and practices are just to practice the script. But it was all just an elaborate joke. Sure it was.
Former head of NFL officiating and current rules analyst for Fox, Dean Blandino said even his brother believed the NFL was rigged last season. And now Joe Buck is giving conspiracy theorists reason to get all excited.
There’s no way the NFL is rigged. Too many people would have to be involved in keeping it quiet. Although, what if the NFL just disguised every slip as a joke?
But if the league was rigged, why would Taylor Swift and the Kansas City Chiefs be 6-7 right now? Or maybe, by having the Chiefs floundering at 6-7, the scriptwriters have conspiracy theorists right where they want them.
Damn it, Joe. Now you got all these conspiracy theorists and their brains twisted up like a pretzel. They got a pretzel in their heads.
About Brandon Contes
Brandon Contes is a staff writer for Awful Announcing and The Comeback. He previously helped carve the sports vertical for Mediaite and spent more than three years with Barrett Sports Media. Send tips/comments/complaints to bcontes@thecomeback.com