Packers Fans Support Petition To Get Aikman Off The Air
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DALLAS (CBS11) - He is one of the most popular Cowboys in the world, but some Green Bay Packers fans want Troy Aikman to step away from calling the upcoming NFL playoff game.
A Packers fan recently started a petition calling for FOX and the NFL to removed Aikman and his broadcasting partner Joe Buck from the broadcast booth on Sunday.
"Troy definitely has his home team. The Cowboys. They made him a star," said A.J. Dorff, a Packers fan who started the petition. "They got Aikman announcing which he's going to be tell all his stories about his glory days."
Dorff thinks Aikman cannot be impartial with his old team on the field. He wants someone else to call the game other than Aikman and Buck.
His petition has gained a lot online, more than he ever expected. As of Thursday night, more than 25,000 people had signed the online demand letter.
"I thought a couple hundred, maybe lucky to break a thousand," said Dorff. "I was curious to see if people felt the same way. I mean the people have definitely spoken."
But Aikman insisted what he did on the field and who he played for has nothing to do with what he says in front of the camera on game day.
"I'm surprised they've only come up with 25,000," joked Aikman.
The Hall of Fame quarterback and three-time Super Bowl champion was out on Thursday night meeting with and signing autographs with children who are battling cancer.
Aikman said he has heard similar criticism before.
"The fans really don't want us to be unbiased. They want us to be biased towards their team," said Aikman. "Any mention of another team doing anything good and not deserving of a call sort of draws their ire."
Aikman said his only objective is for a good game.
"It doesn't impact me one bit. Certainly doesn't impact me next week other than I may get to stay home again and not get on a flight," said Aikman.
Dorff said if Aikman remains in the booth on Sunday, he has a backup plan.
"If you go to a bar in Wisconsin, you can guarantee that if they're announcing the game, the game will be on mute," said Dorff.
FOX has not responded to the petition.
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