Throughout the years, many have been able to set their watch to Al Michaels being the voice of a big game. Whether it was a Sunday night matchup, a Super Bowl, or most recently a Thursday night on Amazon, Michaels has been the one constant through it all.
However, as the NFL season winds down into its final month of action, the focus turns to the playoffs and what that could look like both matchup-wise and network-wise. And despite what we’ve become accustomed to, it looks as if Michaels will not be a part of the action this year. In fact, he may be as surprised as we are about it.
Al Michaels Caught Off Guard By NBC’s Playoff Plans
NBC is set to broadcast four playoff games this season with one of them being aired exclusively on the network’s streaming service Peacock. Three of those four games will be called by the network’s No. 1 broadcast team duo comprised of Mike Tirico and Cris Collinsworth.
Last year, that extra game required a different group. Michaels was on the call with colleague Tony Dungy. However, this year that won’t be the case.
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The network will reportedly opt to use their No. 1 college team, Noah Eagle and Todd Blackledge, along with sideline reporter Kathryn Tappen, on the call.
According to The New York Post, it’s a move that has caught Michaels by surprise. When asked about the uncertainty of the assignment, Michales had more questions than answers regarding the matter.
“It’s in my deal,” Michaels said. “Where are you hearing that from? That’s part of my deal. Are you hearing something that I’m not hearing?”
The feeling around those in the know is that the move may be in part due to the lackluster performance both he and Dungy put out in last year’s matchup.
It has long been discussed that Michaels may have lost his enthusiasm for the game and fans across the league have voiced their frustrations with the fact that he may not bring the same juice as some of the others have recently. Whatever the reason behind it is, Michaels didn’t expect it and the entire situation may be worth watching over the next month and into next year.
Michaels has spoken about wanting to continue calling games next season despite being 80 years old next season. Yet, one may wonder if any of this new information would change his mind at all.
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