Troy Aikman, the former Dallas Cowboys quarterback and current ESPN analyst, publicly shared his relationship with girlfriend Marisa Howard over the weekend.
Aikman, 59, posted a photo carousel on Instagram celebrating Howard, a former model, children's book author, and wellness coach who recently turned 40.
The couple was first seen together at a gala in April 2025, and D Magazine confirmed their relationship two months later.
Aikman was previously married to Rhonda Worthey and Catherine Mooty.
ESPN Contract Status
The public post comes as Aikman enters the final year of his five-year, $90 million deal with ESPN, with no extension signed.
Aikman expressed surprise that a new deal wasn't completed before the season.
"I thought something would be done prior to the start of this season," Aikman said on the Sports Media with Richard Deitsch podcast.
"I've never gone into a last year of a contract ever since I signed with the Dallas Cowboys.
So, I thought that it would be done. It's not.
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."
Aikman's broadcasting partner, Joe Buck, voiced his support for Aikman staying with the network.
Buck highlighted their long-standing personal and professional relationship during an interview on Philadelphia's 97.5 The Fanatic.
"I'm pretty well on record, having begged out of my last years at Fox to follow him to ESPN, where I stand on all that," Buck said to Unfiltered with Ricky Bo and Bill Colarulo.
"I legitimately love the guy like a brother. We're basically the same age; I'm 57, he's 59.
We've both been through divorce. We're both girl dads.
25 years, you're sharing a lot of life together. Forget games and in the booth and all that stuff."
"So, I hope so. I mean, both of us were up.
It wasn't like we were doing some national signing day where we walk in arm-in-arm and then sign contracts at the same time.
We've always kind of kept that stuff separate. I'm obviously hopeful, to say the least, that something gets done.
But that's kind of his world, and ESPN's world, and I've got to kind of mind my own yard in that stuff.
I think that's the best way to be."
Aikman also addressed the situation on the Sports Media with Richard Deitsch podcast last month.
"I don't really have an answer there," Aikman said. "I don't really know.
I've had no conversation with anyone from Bristol as far as what this means for me."
Aikman's current contract with ESPN is set to expire after Super Bowl LXI in February 2027.
