DREAM ASSIGNMENT. >> Reporter: MONDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL. THAT ICONIC THEME SONG. CAPTIVATING GENERATIONS FOR 52 SEASONS. BRINGING THE NATION TOGETHER THROUGH THE VICTORIOUS MOMENTS AND EVEN IN THE WAKE OF NATIONAL TRAGEDY. AND TONIGHT WE'RE THERE. IN THE BOOTH -- >> AND THEN YOU CLEAR THE SCREEN, AND YOU CAN CIRCLE SOMEBODY. >> THAT'S HOW THEY DO THAT. >> Reporter: IN THE CONTROL ROOM. >> TAKE. TAKE. >> Reporter: AND ON THE FIELD. >> SO IT'S QUIET RIGHT NOW. IN 24 HOURS, GILLETTE STADIUM IS ABOUT TO BE ROCKING. >> Reporter: IT'S A SUNDAY AFTERNOON AT GILLETTE STADIUM, HOME OF THE NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS. LEGENDARY BROADCAST DUO TROY AIKMAN AND JOE BUCK ARE ALREADY IN TOWN TO PREP FOR ANOTHER MONDAY NIGHT GAME. THE PATS VERSUS THE CHICAGO BEARS. THEY'VE BEEN SIDE BY SIDE FOR TWO DECADES, ANNOUNCING MORE THAN 300 GAMES AND SIX SUPER BOWLS TOGETHER FOR FOX SPORTS. >> THE START OF A NEW ERA HERE ON MONDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL. >> Reporter: RECENTLY MAKING AN EXCITING JUMP TO JOIN THE TEAM AT ESPN, WHICH IS OWNED BY ABC NEWS' PARENT COMPANY DISNEY. >> I REMEMBER THE FIRST GAME WE CALLED BACK ON WEEK ONE, AND THAT THEME MUSIC FOR "MONDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL" CAME ON. AND THE HAIR ON MY NECK STOOD UP. TO BE A PART OF THAT ICONIC BOOTH. >> Reporter: ARE YOU GUYS SICK OF EACH OTHER YET? >> NO, NO. I THINK THERE IS A LOT TO OUR LONGEVITY. BUT I THINK THAT'S PART OF IT. THE VIEWER AT HOME, I THINK THEY CAN FEEL THAT WE GENUINELY CARE ABOUT EACH OTHER, THAT WE'RE FRIENDS. >> HE AND I HAVE BEEN TOGETHER THROUGH REALLY SERIOUS TIMES IN OUR PERSONAL LIVES, RAISING KIDS. BOTH BEEN THROUGH DIVORCE. WE'RE BASICALLY THE SAME AGE. HE IS A GUY THAT I HAVE THE UTMOST RESPECT FOR. >> Reporter: BEFORE CALLING THE PLAYS, TROY AIKMAN WAS BEST KNOWN AS THE HALL OF FAME QUARTERBACK FOR THE DALLAS COWBOYS. WINNING THREE SUPER BOWL RINGS IN THE EARLY '90s. JOE BUCK HAS BEEN IN THE BOOTH SINCE HE WAS JUST 25 YEARS OLD AND HAS CALLED WORLD SERIES, ALL-STAR GAMES AND U.S. OPENS. FOLLOWING IN THE FOOTSTEPS OF HIS FAMED FATHER, RADIO ANNOUNCER JACK BUCK. >> MY DAD WOULD BE SO PROUD. HE DIED 20 YEARS AGO, BUT HE WOULD BE SO PROUD THAT HIS KID, OR HE CALLED ME POP, THAT HIS POP WAS DOING "MONDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL." >> THERE ARE SO MANY PEOPLE INVOLVED IN PUTTING ON A PRODUCTION LIKE "MONDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL." AND THERE IS A LOT OF THE BEHIND-THE-SCENES PEOPLE THAT DON'T GET TALKED ABOUT ENOUGH. BUT IT TAKES AN ARMY IN ORDER TO PULL THIS OFF. >> Reporter: YOU'VE GOT SIX PRODUCTION TRUCKS THAT TRAVEL WITH THE "MONDAY NIGHT" CREW EVERY WEEK. IT HAS OVER 125 EMPLOYEES AND MOST OF THE PRODUCTION THAT HAPPENS FROM "MONDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL," IT HAPPENS HERE. LET'S GO CHECK IT OUT. ESPN DIRECTOR JIMMY PLATT IS THE ONE RESPONSIBLE FOR WHAT YOU ACTUALLY SEE ON YOUR SCREEN DURING THE GAME. >> 24 HOURS TO KICKOFF, IT'S QUIET HERE RIGHT NOW. >> YEP. >> Reporter: WHAT DOES THIS PLACE LOOK LIKE DURING A GAME? >> IT WILL BE QUIET TOMORROW DURING THE GAME TOO. I THINK WHEN YOU'RE ABLE TO EXECUTE AT A REALLY HIGH LEVEL, YOU DO IT JUST LIKE, THIS RIGHT? CALM, MEASURED, AND UNDER CONTROL. BECAUSE IN THE HEAT OF THE CHAOS AND THE GAME, RIGHT, IF YOU LET THE GAME SPEED YOU UP, YOU END UP MAKING MISTAKES OR THINGS FALL THROUGH THE CRACKS THAT PROBABLY SHOULDN'T. >> Reporter: LESS THAN 12 HOURS LATER, WE'RE HEADED BACK TO THE STADIUM, WHERE THE STAFF IS WORKING TO GET THE FIELD READY. AND THE MOST DEDICATED FANS ARE BRAVING THE BRUTAL NEW ENGLAND WEATHER. >> ABOUT A COUPLE OF HOURS BEFORE KICKOFF. AND IT ALREADY LOOKS LIKE, SMELLS LIKE, FEELS LIKE "MONDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL." THE DUO ARE JOINING A MONDAY NIGHT MAINSTAY. LISA SALTERS HAS BEEN REPORTING FROM THE SIDELINES FOR OVER A DECADE. WHAT'S IT LIKE FOR YOU WATCHING MORE AND MORE WOMEN GET INVOLVED? >> OH, I LOVE IT. A LOT OF TIMES STILL I'M THE ONLY WOMEN IN THE ROOM IN A PRODUCTION MEETING OR WITH TEAMS AND COACHES. IT'S ALWAYS BEEN THAT WAY, AND IT'S NEVER -- AND I'M ALWAYS THE ONLY WOMAN OF COLOR WHO HAS BEEN IN THE ROOM. BUT I LOVE SEEING MORE AND MORE WOMEN. >> Reporter: WHAT MAKES MONDAY NIGHT SO SPECIAL? >> IT'S ICONIC. IT'S BEEN AROUND FOR AS LONG AS WE CAN REMEMBER, FROM MY VERY FIRST GAME TO NOW, WHEN I HEARD THAT -- DA DA DA DA, I'M LET'S GO! >> Reporter: WHAT'S GOING THROUGH YOUR HEAD? YOU'RE TIRED? >> I DON'T FEEL IT. I THINK WE'RE IN BIG TROUBLE. NO, I'M FEELING IT. >> Reporter: YOU'RE WAITING FOR THE MUSIC TO HIT. >> ONCE THE MUSIC HITS, I COME ALIVE. >> Reporter: BEFORE GAME TIME, A SPECIAL INVITE FROM THE HOME TEAM'S BOSS, ROBERT KRAFT. >> SHE IS HERE. YOU GOT TO LIKE THIS TEAM. IT'S FUN. >> YOU KNOW WHAT? WE'VE GOT A LOT OF FUN GUYS AND THE DEFENSE IS COMING TOGETHER. >> MR. KRAFT, THANK YOU SO MUCH. >> PLEASURE. >> Reporter: DO YOU HAVE RITUALS THAT PEOPLE DON'T KNOW ABOUT? ANY SUPERSTITIONS, THAT MAYBE YOU CARRIED OVER FROM PLAYING WITH THE COWBOYS? >> NO. I DIDN'T HAVE MANY AS A PLAYER. I ATE THE SAME PREGAME MEAL AND I HAD THE SAME PLAYER PULL MY JERSEY OVER MY SHOULDER PADS EVERY WEEK. THAT WAS KIND OF IT. >> DOES JOE HELP YOU NOW? >> I TIE HIS TIE, PUT HIS COAT ON, PULL HIS SHIRT ON. >> Jimmy: YO >> YOU GET HIM FIXED UP. >> HE GOES THROUGH COUNTLESS HOURS OF FILM TO GET READY FOR EACH GAME. AND THAT'S NOT PART OF MY PREPARATION. MINE IS MORE READING AND LOOKING AT NUMBERS. AND MAKING SURE I'M UP TO DATE ON ALL THE DIFFERENT STORY LINES THAT ARE GOING ON WITH THESE TWO TEAMS. >> IT'S NOW OFF TO THE BOOST WHERE JOE AND TROY WILL FINISH. >> THESE NOTES ARE METICULOUS. >> YOU SHOULD SEE HIS. DON'T TELL HIM I'M DOING THIS. >> Reporter: RIGHT. AND THE PENMANSHIP? >> YEAH. >> Reporter: I'M LOOKING AT THE BOOTH, AND IT ALMOST LOOKS LIKE A TELEVISION CONTROL ROOM. DO YOU MIND WALKING US THROUGH SOME OF THE TECH? DO YOU THE TABLET THAT YOU DO X'S AND O'S ON? >> Reporter: IT'S TROY'S, RIGHT? >> THAT'S THIS. AND THEN YOU CLEAR THE SCREEN, AND YOU CAN CIRCLE SOMETHING. CLEAR THE SCREEN. AND NUMBERED CIRCLE, TWO, THREE. THEY HAVE 12 MEN ON THE FIELD, FOUR FIVE, SIX, SEVEN, EIGHT, NINE, TEN, 11, 12. THAT'S HOW THEY DO THAT. >> Reporter: THAT'S HOW THEY DO THAT. >> AND NOW WELCOME INSIDE THE BROADCAST BOOTH, EVERYBODY. I AM JOE BUCK. THAT'S TROY AIKMAN, THE HALL OF FAMER. >> Reporter: FINALLY, IT'S THE MOMENT EVERYONE HAS BEEN PREPARING FOR. KICKOFF. >> TAKE 6, PUSH. READY, THREE. TAKE. 3017, TAKE. 37, TAKE. 48, TAKE. 45, TAKE. 50, TAKE. 42, TAKE. GOT THE FINGERS OUT, JOSH. >> Reporter: TROY, WHAT'S ONE THING THE AUDIENCES DON'T KNOW ABOUT JOE? >> YOU CAN'T BE JOE BUCK WITHOUT PUT MANAGE THE TIME AND THE EFFORT AND BEING METICULOUS ABOUT IT. AND HE DOES THAT. >> Reporter: JOE, WHAT'S ONE THING AUDIENCES DON'T KNOW ABOUT TROY? >> HE IS A GREAT DAD. HE IS A GIRL DAD, AND HE IS A GREAT DAD. AND HIS DAUGHTERS ARE HIS WORLD. I THINK THE HUMAN SIDE OF HIM GETS LOST A LOT, BECAUSE HE IS SO GOOD, AND HE WAS WIRED TO BE A CHAMPIONSHIP PLAYER. >> Reporter: AFTER THE FINAL WHISTLE, A SENSE OF RELIEF IN THE BOOTH. THESE GUYS JUST HAD THEIR OWN KIND OF GAME DAY. >> I CAN STILL FEEL IT AFTER STANDING WITH YOU GUYS. AFTER A FULL GAME YOUR ADRENALINE MUST BE PUMPING. HOW DO YOU COME DOWN AFTER A GAME LIKE THIS? >> THE MINUTE AFTER THE CAMERA GOES OFF, THE TIE COMING OFF, AND I'M GOING TO SCHLUMP MY WAY BACK TO THE CAR, AND I'LL BE TYRED GETTING OUT OF HERE. OKAY. ON TO NEXT WEEK. >> Reporter: FOR JOE AND TROY, IT'S ON TO NEXT WEEK. BUT THE MAGIC OF "MONDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL," THEY BRING THAT WITH THEM. >> SEE YOU, BUDDY. >> AFTER THE FIRST GAME IN SEATTLE, I TRIED. >> Reporter: AFTER ALL THE GAMES YOU'VE DONE? >> AFTER ALL THE GAMES THAT HE AND I HAVE DONE, I HAVE DONE PERSONALLY, IT WAS JUST EMOTIONAL. THIS HAS BEEN ALREADY THE MOST REWARDING SEASON THAT I'VE EVER BEEN A PART OF. >> AND FOR US TO CONTINUE TO GET TOGETHER AND WORK, IT'S BEEN AWESOME. I MEAN, THERE IS NO OTH