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Troy Aikman is feeling the heat after his commentary during the Jets-Chargers game on Monday Night Football garnered some unwanted attention.
Back in the 1990s, Skip Bayless had written a book, Hell-Bent, on his beloved Dallas Cowboys. He had claimed, without any substance, that Troy Aikman was gay. That rumor has followed him through his career in the sport and later in the broadcast, even though the star quarterback has repeatedly denied it.
So, when he used a phrasing to describe how Jets head coach Robert Saleh was feeling, internet trolls were quick to respond. The score of the game was 27-6, late in the fourth quarter when the camera panned to the New York sidelines. Looking at Saleh, Troy Aikman commented:
"Yeah, he [Robert Saleh] is steaming right now. He is so hot inside"
The second part of it was twisted by some to mean as if the former Dallas quarterback felt the Jets coach was hot in his opinion. Such is the nature of social media, unfortunately.
Fans mock Troy Aikman for his choice of words
Fans were quick to notice the supposed gaffe and mercilessly made fun of Troy Aikman. They said that he would never be able to shake off the rumors if he kept saying things like this. Here are some of the responses on X, formerly known as Twitter.
MNF game leaves both Jets and Chargers tied at 4-4 and on the outside looking in
Troy Aikman's slip of tongue notwithstanding, he was right about the frustration Robert Saleh must have faced watching his team. Their loss to the Chargers left both teams with a 4-4 record.
The AFC is currently led by the Kansas City Chiefs and the Baltimore Ravens at 7-2. The Jacksonville Jaguars (6-2) and Miami Dolphins (6-3) are the other divisional leaders. The remaining wild card spots are currently filled with all the remaining teams from the AFC North, who share a 5-3 record.
Therefore, the Chargers and Jets are a full game behind the last spot currently for the postseason. With New York trying to get Aaron Rodgers fit for the end of this year, it is imperative that they hang in until the last to have a rationale for returning.
The Charges, meanwhile, have underachieved for a long time now despite having great quarterbacks from Drew Brees to Philip Rivers. If Justin Herbert fails to reach the playoffs this year, his personal achievements and quality will be forgotten and the pressure will just keep climbing on the franchise and their quarterback.
