Troy Aikman Explains His Hot Mic Military Flyover Comments

Troy Aikman did some explaining Tuesday after a hot mic caught the Fox football analyst criticizing a military flyover before an NFL game between the host Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Green Bay Packers.

“That’s a lot of jet fuel just to do a little flyover,” Aikman told sportscasting partner Joe Buck during a pause in Sunday’s coverage. That sparked an off-air exchange in which Buck joked about tax dollars being wasted and Aikman suggested “that stuff ain’t happening with Kamala-Biden ticket.”

The comments prompted such a stir on social media that Aikman, a retired Hall of Fame quarterback, attempted to clarify them on Twitter, emphasizing that he is an “unwavering patriot.”

“I love a flyover but it was odd to see one over a mostly empty stadium,” Aikman wrote Tuesday. “But I am an unwavering patriot that loves this country, has always respected our flag, supported the men and women in the armed forces as well as those in uniform who serve & protect.”

About 16,000 fans were allowed to attend the game at Raymond James Stadium after Republican Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis lifted COVID-19 safety restrictions.

Buck, who covered Game 1 of the World Series on Tuesday night, hasn’t addressed the hot-mic moment on social media.

Love HuffPost? Become a founding member of HuffPost Plus today.

This article originally appeared on HuffPost and has been updated.