Before ESPN's Monday Night Football game between San Francisco and Washington even kicked off, the tension in the commentary booth was palpable. 

As longtime friends and broadcast partners Joe Buck and Troy Aikman delivered their customary introduction before gametime at Levi's Stadium, the simmering tension was clear to see for everybody at home.

Fans flocked to social media, saying they could sense the 'disdain' between the pair and pointing out how 'awkward' the atmosphere seemed.

That's because exactly seven days before the broadcast, Buck and Aikman were said to have had an argument over their futures at the network just before going on air in Los Angeles for the Rams-Bills showdown. 

Indeed, it would seem that one of America's most beloved NFL commentary duos is in the process of a messy split.

Partners since they called their first game together for Fox in 2002, Buck and Aikman moved to ESPN as a package deal in 2022. 

Last month, Buck signed a new $108 million deal to stay at the network for an additional six years, while Aikman's existing five-year, $90 million contract is set to expire after the Super Bowl in February. 

The three-time Super Bowl champion and former Dallas Cowboys quarterback hinted last week that talks over a new deal have stalled, and a source has now told the Daily Mail that Aikman, 59, now sees the 'writing is on the wall.' 

'Troy is fully convinced it is over and he is starting to accept it,' the insider said.

'Look, everyone is replaceable, especially at ESPN. Troy is comfortable there and has the respect of his peers, but he also knows how this business works and he's starting to see the writing on the wall. 

'Troy has options if things don't work out. Whether that's with another network or even getting involved in ownership, there are options. As good as Troy and Joe are together in the booth, things could get interesting in the weeks leading up to the Super Bowl, which they're both still expected to call together.

'Can they keep things together long enough to finish the season without more tension? Right now, there are a lot of unanswered questions.'

Reports emerged last week that ESPN had already started speaking to Greg Olsen, the talented No 2 analyst for Fox who was bumped out of the network's top seat when Tom Brady arrived in 2024.

Other big names circling a spot in a top broadcast booth include Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce, if he decides to retire at the end of the season, or Los Angeles Rams coach Sean McVay. 

The source continued: 'ESPN looks at its lineup every offseason and this year will be no different.

'Imagine if Travis Kelce retires, the network would love to bring him aboard, whether that's in the booth, on a panel or even doing something similar to the Manning brothers' show with his brother Jason, who's already at ESPN.

'There's no shortage of players, coaches and personalities who could shake things up if they become available and Troy has to understand that the network is always going to look at its options, whether he likes it or not.'

According to Front Office Sports, Buck 'broke the ice' with Aikman on unspoken hostility before last week's game between the Rams and Bills. It's claimed the pair then had an argument that was ultimately de-escalated before they called the game at SoFi Stadium without showing any noticeable signs of tension.

'There's probably a time and a place for all that. I don't know if now is the time. I don't know if it's hard to figure out kind of what happened,' Aikman told 96.7 The Ticket in Dallas-Fort Worth.

'I'll broadcast through this season and I'll be a free agent at the end of the year and kind of see what happens. I'm looking forward to whatever the rest of this season does hold and the Super Bowl and all that and where my next landing spot may be.' 

Both Aikman and Buck are represented by the same agency, CAA, but have different agents. 

For their next assignment, Aikman will watch his beloved Cowboys when they take on the Philadelphia Eagles on October 26. 

The source added: 'The next few weeks could tell us a lot. If Troy doesn't get a deal done around the holidays, he could find himself in a tough spot. 

'He wants to stay, but he's not going to stick around if he continues to feel disrespected. At this point, it really comes down to who blinks first. Troy wants to know he's valued, and ESPN has to decide how badly it wants to keep him.'

The Daily Mail has contacted ESPN and representatives for both Aikman and Buck for comment.