NBC confirmed on Tuesday, December 12, 2023, that veteran sportscaster Al Michaels will not be part of its NFL playoff coverage this season. This decision marks a significant change for Michaels, who has been a leading voice in NFL broadcasting for decades.
Michaels, who joined NBC in 2006 and became the face of Sunday Night Football, transitioned to Amazon’s Thursday Night Football in 2022 but retained an emeritus role with NBC, allowing him to commentate on one playoff game each year.
For the upcoming NFL playoffs, however, NBC has opted to assign its lead Sunday Night Football team, Mike Tirico and Cris Collinsworth, to cover two of the three postseason games. Noah Eagle and Todd Blackledge will call the third game, indicating a shift in NBC’s broadcasting lineup.
The change comes amid reports of longstanding tensions between Michaels and NBC executives, dating back to at least 2022 when Tirico replaced him on Sunday Night Football. Despite being awarded an emeritus title, there was ambiguity about the specifics of this role, particularly in playoff game coverage. Michaels, who was expecting to commentate during this year’s playoffs as part of his current deal with NBC, expressed surprise at the change in his assignment.
He has faced criticism for his commentary style, particularly during last year’s AFC Wild Card Round between the Jacksonville Jaguars and the Los Angeles Chargers. Critics noted his understated approach did not capture the excitement of one of the biggest comebacks in NFL history. This feedback and the internal dynamics at NBC may have influenced the decision to exclude him from this season’s playoff coverage.
Despite the shift at NBC, Michaels, 79, has confirmed his intention to continue his broadcasting career. He plans to return to Amazon’s Thursday Night Football broadcasts for the 2024 season. This continuation suggests that while his tenure at NBC may be concluding, his voice will still be a part of the NFL broadcasting landscape.
His career has been illustrious, spanning several decades and including notable tenures such as the play-by-play announcer on ABC’s Monday Night Football for 20 years before joining NBC. His contributions to sports broadcasting have been significant, and his presence in the booth has become familiar to countless football fans.