
A U.S. Marine Corps pilot lines up a F-35B Lightning II to refuel from a KC-10 Extender, assigned to the 305th Air Mobility Wing at Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, N.J., July 4, 2020. The F-35B is part of a formation of military aircraft that flew over Boston, New York City, Philadelphia, Baltimore and Washington D.C. during a Salute to America event that celebrated the nation’s 244th birthday and provided the DoD an opportunity to demonstrate the capabilities and professionalism of the Armed Forces. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Briana Cespedes)
Comments by NFL legend Troy Aikman and Fox sportscaster Joe Buck apparently mocking a military flyover during a pro football game Sunday are sparking fierce backlash across America.
The remarks came Sunday during the broadcast of the game between the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and the Green Bay Packers at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Florida.
Advertisement - story continues below
After several U.S. military aircraft flew over the stadium, Aikman, a former Dallas Cowboys quarterback, said: "That's a lot of jet fuel just to do a little flyover."
Buck chimed in with, "That's YOUR hard-earned money and your tax dollars at work."
TRENDING: Our new black Republican leaders
"That stuff ain't happening with the Kamala-Biden ticket, I'll tell you that right now, partner," Aikman responded, as he placed vice-presidential candidate Kamala Harris at the top of the Democratic presidential ticket ahead of Joe Biden.
Even Joe Buck and Troy Aikman find pregame flyovers to be a little much these days: https://t.co/0IZL6GhmZy pic.twitter.com/G4EpB3SYtN
— Defector (@DefectorMedia) October 19, 2020
Advertisement - story continues below
Country singer John Rich took to Twitter to express his disappointment, saying: "I'm a lifelong @dallascowboys fan, but hearing @TroyAikman belittle our military as they flew over the stadium has officially twisted my mind into a knot. #Disappointing."
I'm a lifelong @dallascowboys fan, but hearing @TroyAikman belittle our military as they flew over the stadium has officially twisted my mind into a knot. #Disappointing #troyaikman
— John Rich (@johnrich) October 20, 2020
Others on Twitter noted:
Advertisement - story continues below
- "I hate to break it to Joe Buck and the morons on this thread but military pilots have to maintain a certain number a flight hours to stay qualified. They use things like this to help them do that."
- "MacDill [Air Force Base] is right down the street from the stadium and I can tell you different aircraft have been flying over the games for years. Definitely flew during the Obama era. Not a political stunt at all."
- "Pretty sure they were saying that the money spend on the jet fuel could have been put to better use. In no way does a sane person take that as making fun of the military. We do have what 8 million unemployed and the biggest deficit in history right now."
- "Kamala-Biden Ticket? At last these guys admit who's at the top of the ticket."
The comments from the Fox sportscasters caught the attention of Rush Limbaugh, who addressed the matter during his national radio broadcast Tuesday.
"It doesn't sound like a hot mic. It sounds like they intended this to be heard," Limbaugh said, feeling bewildered by their remarks.
"I never talked politics with these guys, but I assumed that they were not a bunch of, you know, commie SOBs because they were not at all reluctant to have me in their company."
Advertisement - story continues below

Joe Buck and Troy Aikman (Video screenshot)
"It’s just one of those moments, folks, where it just made me sad," he continued. "We're gonna be kissing a lot of American traditions good-bye. We're gonna have all kinds of defining American traditions, institutions, holidays, you name it, taken away from us if these people (Democrats) happen to win. It's just sad."
"Just more reasons, folks, to get out there and vote and preserve the American way of life. Because that's what's on the ballot: preserving the American way of life. A man who believes this country is good and decent. A man who believes this country is the best with room for improvement. A man who believes the people who make this country work are the best, also with room for improvement, versus who? Well, whoever's behind Joe Biden, we are up against a bunch of people who do not believe America is good. They don’t even get close to believing America is good.
"They believe America's bad. They believe America is racist and bigoted and homophobic and all these other crazy, woke things. They think America is the problem in the world. They think America is guilty, unjust, immoral. They think America is still a slave state. That's what's on the ballot. We don't want to elect people who do not believe in the United States of America, as founded."
Advertisement - story continues below
Follow Joe on Twitter @JoeKovacsNews