Legendary NFL broadcaster Al Michaels indicated he will not resist if Amazon Prime Video decides to move on from him as the lead play-by-play announcer for Thursday Night Football.
Speaking on The Dan Patrick Show on Wednesday, the 81-year-old Michaels said the decision about when his run ends will come from Amazon, from himself, or from a combination of both. He praised his current employer while acknowledging that an eventual transition is inevitable.
“Well, either the people that I work for will tell me, or I’ll know myself, a combination,” Michaels said. “Let’s put it this way. The folks at Amazon and Prime have been fantastic. Fantastic to me.”
He continued with a clear-eyed assessment of his career longevity: “If they come to me and say, you know, it’s time for us to move on … You guys have been fantastic. You’ve been great. I’ve done the NFL for 41 years, which is half my life. Love it. But you know what? At a certain time, it’s time. And if they feel it’s time, great. And if I feel it’s time, I’ll know it. And I’ll say, ‘You know what? Thanks for the memories.’”
Michaels joined Amazon in 2022 on a three-year deal when the streamer acquired the Thursday Night Football package, bringing immediate credibility to the fledgling NFL rights holder. After that initial contract expired following the 2024 season, he has worked on year-to-year arrangements. Amazon confirmed his return for the 2026 season earlier this year, and he remains paired with analyst Kirk Herbstreit and sideline reporter Kaylee Hartung for the remainder of the current slate.
His comments arrive amid ongoing viewer and media criticism of his broadcasts, including scrutiny following the October 8 Thursday Night Football matchup between the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Dallas Cowboys. Complaints have focused on energy levels, missed details, and call quality in recent seasons—critiques that have followed him at times since his arrival at Amazon. Michaels has previously maintained that he still operates at a high level and has pushed back against calls for a louder, more emphatic style.
Behind the scenes, Amazon has already positioned itself for flexibility. Herbstreit recently agreed to an extension that includes provisions allowing the streamer to move on if preferred candidates become available. Reporting from The Athletic’s Andrew Marchand has identified CBS Sports’ Ian Eagle as a primary target for Michaels’ eventual successor, though CBS has shown no interest in letting Eagle leave and values his long tenure and relationship with network leadership.
Michaels did not indicate that he expects 2026 to be his final season. He has consistently described his approach as evaluating one year at a time, remaining open to continuing as long as he feels he is performing at a level that satisfies him. Amazon has checked in with him after recent seasons to gauge his interest in returning.
For a broadcaster whose career includes the “Miracle on Ice” call, long runs as the voice of Monday Night Football and Sunday Night Football, and more than four decades of NFL coverage, the current chapter with Amazon has extended his presence in prime-time football. Michaels’ latest remarks make clear that, whenever the end arrives—whether he chooses it or Amazon does—he intends to handle it without resistance.
