Since joining Fox Sports as an NFL color commentator in 2001, former Dallas Cowboys’ quarterback Troy Aikman has made little attempt to hide his disdain of the Green Bay Packers and, in particular, the team’s former ageless quarterback, Brett Favre.
Maybe it’s because Aikman hated doing so many Packers’ games or because his career was ended early by concussions, but I’ve always thought Aikman was jealous of Favre and unfairly criticized him during broadcasts, particularly during Favre’s last season with the Packers in 2007.
Aikman had decent things to say about Favre after his first retirement announcement in 2008, though he (rightly so) wondered if the decision was final and said he wouldn’t be surprised if Favre changed his mind – which he did. Twice.
He also backed Aaron Rodgers during the Favre soap opera of 2008, telling a radio talk show that summer that the Packers owed it to Rodgers to stick with him as the starter.
“He [Aaron Rodgers] has been there all of season, they drafted him in the first round, they told him that he was going to be a starter this year. And I think you risk losing him for the rest of his career, however short that maybe with Packers, to get one more season out of Brett Favre. Do you go on to win the Super Bowl? Well maybe you do, but they could very easily go 4 and 12 as well.”
I was shocked, then, to read Aikman’s latest comments about Favre to Star Tribune columnist Sid Hartman following the Vikings’ 36-10 win over the Bears on Sunday.
Aikman, like the rest of the sports broadcast world, appears to be jumping wholeheartedly on the Favre bandwagon, telling Hartman that Favre’s only gotten better with age and “I’ve marveled watching him over the years, and especially this year.”
“I mean, other than he’s got a bad beard now, and it’s gray, he’s still doing all the things that he did back in the early ’90s. And that’s really saying something considering he is a three-time league MVP,” Aikman said. “But at 40 years old, to be playing the best of his career, he’s one of those few athletes that comes along – Nolan Ryan was one of those guys, and there’s others that we’ve seen – that have gotten to an age to where others can’t even think about going and doing the things that they’re doing, and yet they’re not only doing it but they’re doing it at a high level.”
During Sunday’s broadcast, Aikman also repeatedly said the Vikings are the best team Favre has ever played on. Forget about those 1996 Green Bay Packers.
As we’ve said before, there’s no question Favre is playing MVP-like football right now. He leads the league in passer rating and has taken the 10-1 Queens to another level this season. His play is definitely praiseworthy.
I’m just not a fan of hypocrites, and quite honestly, Aikman is one. Troy is only kissing Favre’s ass like every other sportscaster in the league because he’s no longer with Green Bay. He can’t suddenly be SUCH a huge fan after all these years, and I highly doubt he’d be singing Brett’s praises as loudly if he was still with the Packers.
In fact, I don’t think he’d be singing them much at all.
Maybe it’s because with the exception of 2007 and one particular Raiders game Packer Favre played shitty football once Aikman started broadcasting. After seeing Viking Favre, I’m convinced Packer Favre was stealing for quite a few years. Peterson, Harvin, Rice and Viscancoe are not that much better than Green, Driver, Walker and Franks.
If Vikings are queens with a 10-1 record.. i guess that makes the PACK court jesters, which is really suiting actually. GO FAVRE!
I watched this game and I thought Troy ‘hated’ on Brett every chance he could. Brett would squeeze a pass in a small window and Troy would be commenting on the route and what an easy throw it was. He’s a hater.
You have Aikman confused with Joe Buck. They sound alike. Joe is always negative but Troy always has something positive to say. I love him he will always be my favorite QB. He is also very bright and articulate. He actually knows his stuff. He doesn’t just run his mouth.