As ABC’s Monday Night Football rolled along, broadcaster Troy Aikman couldn’t hold back his criticism of what he was seeing on the field.
Aikman knows a thing or two about playing in the NFL, and he was in Denver with Joe Buck to call the Broncos-Bengals contest. The Broncos ultimately won 28-3 in a one-sided beatdown, and the on-field product didn’t impress Aikman one bit.
What Did Troy Aikman Say On ‘Monday Night Football’?
While observing both teams go at it, Aikman was not shy about bashing the teams as they piled up a bunch of penalties.
It wasn’t a typical NFL game, especially in the eyes of a Super Bowl-winning and Hall of Fame quarterback like Aikman.
“The product is just not very good,” Aikman said. “It’s ridiculous.”
Troy Aikman keeping it real right now: “The product is just not very good. It’s ridiculous.”
There have been 22 penalties in the #Bengals–#Broncos game tonight.
— Ari Meirov (@MySportsUpdate) September 30, 2025
As noted above, there had been 22 penalties (and 17 were accepted) between the Bengals and Broncos when Aikman made this comment. When all was said and done, there were 18 accepted penalties: 11 for 65 yards by the Bengals and seven for 72 yards by the Broncos.
Want more from Aikman? Here are some other comments he made on the Monday Night Football broadcast.
“I’m not gonna keep my mouth shut,” Aikman said. “That’s a good call. Just not a necessary call. Nothing brings a broadcast to a screeching halt more than these yellow flags. The product’s just not very good. I’m gonna be honest… I mean, this is ridiculous.”
“I’m not gonna keep my mouth shut. That’s a good call. Just not a necessary call.”
“Nothing brings a broadcast to a screeching halt more than these yellow flags.”
“The product’s just not very good. I’m gonna be honest…I mean, this is ridiculous.”
– Troy Aikman pic.twitter.com/8pErfB34T2
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) September 30, 2025
The Broncos totally dominated Cincinnati on the field. Denver put up 512 total yards on offense, while Cincinnati totaled just 159 yards. The Bengals were led by Jake Browning, who has struggled mightily while filling in for Joe Burrow, who’s out for the next three months while dealing with a turf toe injury.
As Denver scored its fourth touchdown of the game, the Bengals’ defense looked tired. It was a one-sided affair, and Aikman clearly wasn’t impressed. Aikman is typically pretty positive, but it’s clear he was fed up with the penalties and on-field product.
