As Troy Aikman navigates a quiet period in his ESPN career, he shares a rare look at his personal life.
The timing was quiet, tucked away just before a high-profile Monday night assignment. Troy Aikman. the 59-year-old Dallas Cowboys legend turned broadcaster. took to Instagram this weekend to offer a rare window into his private life. In a carousel of photos posted to his account. he shared a birthday tribute to his girlfriend. Marisa Howard. captioned simply: “Happy Birthday Beautiful❤️.”.
Howard, 39, is a wellness coach, author, and former model. The post. which displayed the couple together. drew an immediate and warm reaction from his followers. who flooded the comments with well-wishes for the yogi and her partner. For a man who spent his professional life under the relentless glare of stadium lights and high-stakes media scrutiny. the post served as a brief. personal counterpoint to a professional year defined by unusual silence.
Aikman’s personal history has been public for decades. He was married to his first wife. Rhonda Worthey. from 2000 to 2011. and later to his second wife. Catherine Mooty. from 2017 to 2023. More recently. he was linked to personal stylist Haley Clark. though the pair appears to have parted ways; Clark’s last social media post featuring the broadcaster dates back to 2023.
While his personal life marks a new beginning, his professional future remains in a state of suspended animation. Aikman is currently operating in the final year of his contract with ESPN. and as of now. no extension talks have materialized. This is unfamiliar territory for the three-time Super Bowl champion. who noted on the “Sports Media with Richard Deitsch” podcast that he had never previously entered the final year of a contract since his playing days in Dallas.
“I thought something would be done prior to the start of this season,” Aikman said. “When it might get done, if it gets done, is anybody’s guess, and it’s just not something that I’m really putting a lot of energy into.”
The uncertainty stands in stark contrast to his booth partner, Joe Buck, who secured a $100 million deal with the network. Buck, 57, has spoken openly about his desire to see his longtime colleague remain by his side. Having shared 25 years in the booth. Buck described their connection as deep—a bond built on shared experiences like divorce and fatherhood. far beyond the games they call together. “I legitimately love the guy like a brother,” Buck said during an appearance on Philadelphia’s 97.5 The Fanatic. “I’m obviously hopeful, to say the least, that something gets done.”.
For now, the focus remains on the booth. Aikman is set to call tonight’s “Monday Night Football” broadcast, stepping into the game as he always has, even as the landscape of his own career remains, for the first time, completely unwritten.
Troy Aikman Marisa Howard NFL ESPN Monday Night Football Joe Buck sports media