Joe Buck acknowledged that calling Opening Day for ESPN was a “little ridiculous.” The voice of Monday Night Football for the Worldwide Leader would be the first to admit that the game of baseball has passed him by. However, it’s not due to a lack of ability; he demonstrated his talent during the Milwaukee Brewers-New York Yankees call, proving he’s still got it.
On The Rock Stops Here podcast, Buck stated that he’ll call games as long as ESPN wants him to. While he didn’t specify if that meant only Monday Night Football, he has primarily been a football announcer for ESPN since 2021, only occasionally dabbling in MLB, as he did for Game 1 of a 162-game schedule, which felt more like a cameo.
Buck’s return to the baseball broadcast booth earned praise from every corner of sports media. He noted that he felt comfortable coming back, stating he hadn’t felt like he had left, approaching it as if it were Game 7 of the World Series. Buck expressed gratitude for being back at the iconic venue built by George Steinbrenner and was relieved he didn’t embarrass himself in the process.
“It was fun. I’m glad I did it,” Buck remarked. “When you haven’t done it in four years, you realize how many people change. A lot of new faces have emerged in the game. As a broadcaster, I kept track of daily transactions and knew everyone, but stepping away made me realize there’s been significant turnover. It was like playing catch-up for a month and a half to prepare for that game. I was surprised when highlights from other games on Opening Day showed players I didn’t recognize.”
“I was relieved I wasn’t exposed as a fraud on Thursday,” Buck added. “But, it was awesome to work with great colleagues, and I’m really glad I did it.” Would he do it again? That’s the million-dollar question. If Opening Day turns out to be a one-time event, at least Joe Buck walked away unscathed, with his fastball intact and his dignity firmly preserved.
