Dan Le Batard was keeping receipts.
During the Chiefs’ 31-10 dismantling of the Denver Broncos at Arrowhead on Monday night, the former ESPN journalist-turned-podcast host and television star began noticing a strange pattern.
After rewatching the first half, Le Batard ripped off a bunch of Troy Aikman one-liners, and a trend quickly develops.
“The Denver roster is as deep as any in football,” Le Batard first quoted Aikman saying.
“[Andy] Reid understands as much as anyone in football that they’ve gotta run the football.”
“Pat Bryant had as good a camp as anyone in football.”
“Denver has as deep a wide receiver room as anyone in football.”
“Denver has as good a secondary as there is in all of football.”
“Trent McDuffie is as good as anyone in all of football.”
“That was the first quarter,” Le Batard said.
LeBatard then moves into the second quarter with more Aikman quotes.
“Denver is as good as any defense in football.”
“Denver plays as much man as anyone in football.”
“Kenneth Walker is as patient as anyone in football.”
“Riley Moss gets targeted as much as anyone in football.”
“Denver is as good an offensive line as there is in football.”
“Vance Joseph is as good a defensive coordinator as there is in all of football.”
“Sean Payton is as good a play-caller as there is in all of football.”
“Courtland Sutton is as good as anyone in football winning one-on-one.”
Le Batard is keen to point out that ESPN is hosting the Super Bowl this year, and Aikman’s voice will be heard by many millions of ears this February.
A few voices on Le Batard’s show added that they “don’t believe” that these things were actually said by Aikman during the game.
“I went back and wrote it,” Le Batard said. “I didn’t believe it. I’m like, that can’t be how I’m hearing this. I’m listening passively… like, am I hearing this right?”
Commentators get criticized for this all the time, and NBC’s Cris Collinsworth has even drawn chatter for his love of Patrick Mahomes in multiple viral clips that have him work the Chiefs’ star quarterback into commentary most believe is unwarranted.
Aikman and his partner, Joe Buck, have been together since their days on Fox Sports in 2002, when they were part of a three-man booth that included Collinsworth.
Buck and Aikman both left to become ESPN’s “Monday Night Football” broadcasters in 2022. They’ll next call Giants at Rams in Week 2.
