Al Michaels out for NFL playoffs on NBC in move he wasn't expecting

[chongli]

Al Michael, 79, storied play-by-play announcer for Amazon's TNF and announcer emeritus for NBC, is out for this year's playoffs on NBC, which does four playoff games this year. Michaels was unaware of this when contacted by the NY Post. Last year, Michaels did Chargers at Jaguars with Tony Dungy. 

 

 

https://nypost.com/2023/12/12/sports/al-michaels-out-of-nbcs-nfl-playoff-coverage-in-move-he-didnt-expect/amp/

 

"Al Michaels out of NBC’s NFL playoff coverage in move he wasn’t expecting

 

Michaels called last year’s incredible Jaguars comeback win over the Chargers, but he and analyst Tony Dungy were widely panned for a perceived lack of enthusiasm. 

 

[...]

 

When informed by The Post about it being in limbo, Michaels sounded unaware of the possibility.

 

“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?”

 

There has long been tension between Michaels and top NBC executives, though they have done their best to hide it from public view, even giving Michaels an emeritus title when he was replaced. There was a failure to truly define what the emeritus role really meant, except for calling the playoff game.

 

NBC decided to move on from Michaels, even though he longed to stay at the top perch on “Sunday Night Football.” NBC had long promised Tirico the lead role, and kept true to its word even after Michaels went out with a tremendous performance for NBC in the Super Bowl in February 2022."

 

Edited December 12, 2023 by chongli

[Donuts and Doritos]

On IR.

 

Man this has been such an injury plagued season.

 

Edited December 12, 2023 by Donuts and Doritos

[strive_for_five_guy]

Whether you like Michaels or not (I’ve been a longtime fan of his), pretty ****** for him to find the news out this way.

[Jauronimo]

No one expects NBC Executives!!  Their main weapon is surprise. Surprise and Cris Collinsworth's inane rambling. Their *two* main weapons are surprise, Cris Collinsworth's inane ramblings, and near fanatical devotion to Taylor Swift.  *Among* their weapons are surprise, Cris Collinsworth's ramblings, and fanatical devotion to Taylor Swift and thats it.  Also, a dizzying array of irrelevant talking heads that add no value to the broadcast...@#$@#%

Edited December 12, 2023 by Jauronimo

[PetermansRedemption]

Doesn’t Al call for Amazon now? I think it would have been more surprising if he WAS calling for NBC in the playoffs. 

[chongli]

10 minutes ago, PetermansRedemption said:

Doesn’t Al call for Amazon now? I think it would have been more surprising if he WAS calling for NBC in the playoffs. 

 

He still calls them for NBC since he hs emeritus there, and he was expecting to this year.  He says it is in his contract. He has called them each year and did NBC's LAC-JAX Wild Card last year and one or two regular season games last year. This move is a stunner to all.

 

Expect a lawsuit soon.

Edited December 12, 2023 by chongli

[Irv]

That's a totally farcical call.  

[Ridgewaycynic2013]

32 minutes ago, Donuts and Doritos said:

On IR.

 

Man this has been such an injury plagued season.

 

They're sending someone to punch him in the throat.

[GoBills808]

No surprise

 

Best days are way in the rearview

[eball]

Sucks if they blindsided him with this, but I'll say he has really dropped off over the last couple of years.  Happens to the best of 'em and he's a legend at his craft.

 

[Charles Romes]

He’s had a great run. Terrible pairing with Herby. They are both going out of their way to be more understated than the other and putting everyone to sleep. 

[Julio Hopkins]

Brutal, he's easily one of the best even now.  

 

Even more brutal when you think about who could be replacing him.  NFL announcers are in a terrible state, most crews are a tough listen.  

 

 

[warrior9]

7 minutes ago, eball said:

Sucks if they blindsided him with this, but I'll say he has really dropped off over the last couple of years.  Happens to the best of 'em and he's a legend at his craft.

 

Easy to fall off when you have the WORST games for 2 straight years and your play by play guy is …. No where near good enough for the NFL. Kirk calls NFL games like college games and I’m a HUGE Kirk fan for college… he’s just below average for the NFL. 

[chongli]

15 minutes ago, warrior9 said:

Easy to fall off when you have the WORST games for 2 straight years 

 

Yeah, Michaels always gets the lesser of NBC's playoff games since their A-team gets too billing, obviously. In any case, I'm sure he is pissed right now and calling his lawyer.

 

[Tisker A Tasker]

I love Al.  He put out a book a few years ago titled, "You Can't Make this Up" about his life and career.  Great read!

 

https://www.amazon.com/You-Cant-Make-This-Television/dp/0062314971

Edited December 12, 2023 by Tisker A Tasker

[chongli]

1 minute ago, Tisker A Tasker said:

I love Al.  He put out a book a few years ago titled, "You Can't Make this Up" about his life and career.  Great read!

 

https://www.amazon.com/You-Cant-Make-This-Television/dp/0062314971

 

I am going to get that book. Thanks for the tip!

[zow2]

NBC going for youth with Noah Eagle.  He’s good and he has energy.

[MikePJ76]

Seems like he is still fine in his role.  When summerall hit that wall in like 01 or 02 whatever year it was....it was as obvious as it got and he needed to retire and enjoy his life, the best to ever do it.  

 

Doesn't seem like Al michaels is in that same spot though.  

[Allen2D̶i̶g̶g̶s̶TBD]

Normally, I would say that this is the most disrespectful thing NBC has ever done to Al Michaels, but they actually traded for him from ESPN for a cartoon rabbit.

 

https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/12750497/how-espn-traded-al-michaels-oswald-rabbit

 

 

[Mango]

I have no issue with NBC moving on from Al Michaels in general.

 

But you don’t do it mid season, and you don’t do it without talking to him first. The guy is an absolute legend. Shame on NBC for doing him dirty. 
 

For Al’s sake I hope Amazon gets the SB at some point and they let Al tell NBC to eat shirt on live TV, then retires.