Legendary sportscaster Al Michaels, a voice synonymous with some of the most iconic moments in sports broadcasting history, will not be part of NBC Sports’ broadcast team for this year’s NFL Playoffs. This decision, confirmed by PEOPLE, comes after a wave of criticism regarding the 79-year-old’s on-air enthusiasm, sparking questions about Why Was Al Michaels Fired or, more accurately, why he was sidelined from this prestigious assignment.
Reports initially surfaced in the New York Post, indicating that Michaels’ absence from the playoff lineup was unexpected and linked to growing concerns over his perceived lack of excitement during game calls. The Athletic further corroborated this news, emphasizing that this move marks a significant shift for a broadcaster celebrated for decades of memorable calls, including the legendary “Miracle on Ice” during the 1980 Winter Olympics.
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While NBC Sports confirmed to PEOPLE that Michaels would indeed be absent from this year’s NFL Playoff broadcasts, it’s crucial to understand the context. For the past two seasons, Michaels has been the lead voice for Amazon Prime Video’s “Thursday Night Football,” where he continues to call regular season and playoff games alongside analysts like Kirk Herbstreit and Tony Dungy. This existing role with Amazon complicates the narrative of a straightforward firing.
The mounting criticism regarding Michaels’ enthusiasm began to gain traction during the previous year’s NFL Wild Card game between the Jacksonville Jaguars and the Los Angeles Chargers. Despite the game unfolding into an historic comeback victory for the Jaguars – the third-largest in NFL history – some viewers felt Michaels’ commentary lacked the energy and excitement typically associated with such a dramatic event. This game seemed to amplify existing undercurrents of concern about his broadcast style in recent times.
Since that Wild Card game, the 2023 regular season saw continued backlash directed at Michaels concerning his perceived energy levels during broadcasts. The question of why was al michaels let go from the NBC playoffs is therefore closely tied to this public and perhaps internal scrutiny of his on-air presence.
In response to this growing criticism, Michaels addressed the issue last month in an interview with the Post. He offered a candid comparison of himself to a seasoned baseball pitcher whose fastball has lost some velocity with age. This analogy suggested an acknowledgment that his broadcasting style might have evolved, or perhaps diminished in perceived energy, over his long and illustrious career.
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Despite the criticism and NBC’s decision for the playoffs, Michaels clarified his intention to continue in his role with “Thursday Night Football” next season. “There’s no question about that in my mind,” he stated to the Post, indicating his commitment to his Amazon role remains firm.
It’s worth noting that NBC had announced Michaels’ signing of a three-year deal in 2022, which included calling some playoff games. Michaels initially joined NBC in 2006 after an impressive near three-decade tenure with ABC Sports. His career is punctuated by numerous iconic broadcasts, including Game 3 of the 1989 World Series, famously disrupted by an earthquake.
Addressing the criticism directly in the Post interview, Michaels defended his current broadcasting approach. “I don’t think I’m a lot different than I have been through the years,” he asserted. “And if people you know want to say that, ‘Al doesn’t sound as excited.’ Hold on a second, folks. I’m doing the same game I’ve always done.”
Ultimately, while the question “why was al michaels fired” might be an oversimplification, the Post reported that NBC’s lead broadcasting team, Mike Tirico and Cris Collinsworth, will cover two of the network’s three NFL Playoff games. The third game will be called by the younger duo of Noah Eagle and Todd Blackledge. This shift in playoff broadcasting teams signals a likely move by NBC to address the criticism surrounding on-air enthusiasm and perhaps inject a different energy into their NFL Playoff coverage, even if it means sidelining a broadcasting legend like Al Michaels for these particular high-profile games. The NFL Playoffs are set to commence on January 13th, marking the beginning of this new era for NBC’s broadcast team.
