Joe Buck and Troy Aikman caught on a hot mic dissing military flyovers at NFL games
Troy Aikman and Joe Buck spoke their minds Sunday on military flyovers before NFL games — and didn't seem to realize millions of people were listening to their conversation.
The duo became the latest announcers to get caught on a hot mic during Fox's national broadcast of the Green Bay Packers-Tampa Bay Buccaneers game at Raymond James Stadium. Their comments have been circulated on social media in a clip that seems to be from immediately after jet fighters performed a ceremonial flyover during the national anthem.
Aikman: “That’s a lot of jet fuel just to do a little flyover.”
Buck, in a mocking tone: “That’s your hard-earned money and your tax dollars at work!”
Aikman: “That stuff ain’t happening with Kamala-Biden ticket. I’ll tell you that right now, partner.”
According to the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Assn., one Air Force F-15 jet can burn 385 gallons of fuel per minute. So Aikman would seem correct in stating that Sunday's event required "a lot of jet fuel."
His "little flyover" remark might reference the fact that the stadium was only at 25% capacity because of coronavirus restrictions. That means only 15,000 or so people witnessed the spectacle in person.
Buck's comment may be a reference to the 2015 revelation that the U.S. Department of Defense paid millions of dollars for military tributes at certain sporting events over the previous four years. After a self-audit, the NFL gave back more than $700,000. The league and the Defense Department have since altered their rules to avoid the practice known as paid patriotism.
As far as whether the flyovers will continue if Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden and running mate Kamala Harris take over the White House, who knows? Not sure that's a topic either of them has addressed.
President Trump, however, has made it clear how he feels about patriotic displays before football games. So the not-so-private chat between Aikman and Buck may have inadvertently provided the president's re-election campaign a little extra, ahem, fuel.
This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
