Legendary sports commentator Al Michaels is no longer part of NBC's NFL playoff broadcasts, as the playoffs are just a few weeks away.
NBC plans to broadcast three playoff games in January, with Mike Tirico and Cris Collinsworth set to commentate on two of them. The team of Noah Eagle, Todd Blackledge, and Kathryn Teppen will provide commentary for an early January doubleheader, as reported by the New York Post on Tuesday.
Greg Hughes, Vice President of NBC Sports, confirmed to the New York Post that Al Michaels, aged 79 and a highly recognized sports broadcaster of his time, is no longer part of NBC's NFL coverage. NBC has yet to comment on the issue.
Michaels, known for his prominent role in sports broadcasting, followed John Madden from ABC to NBC when "Sunday Night Football" acquired NFL rights. This transition occurred after ABC released him from his contract. In a unique exchange, Michaels' move was part of a deal that included Ryder Cup coverage, expanded rights for Olympic highlights, and ownership of Oswald the Lucky Rabbit, a character created by Walt Disney in 1928 and previously owned by Universal Pictures.
Al Michaels and John Madden were the primary commentators for broadcasts until Cris Collinsworth joined them. In 2022, Michaels transitioned to Amazon Prime's "Thursday Night Football," where he worked alongside Kirk Herbstreit.
Michaels was the commentator for last season's AFC wild card playoff game between the Los Angeles Chargers and Jacksonville Jaguars. The game saw a dramatic comeback victory by the Jaguars, but Michaels and co-commentator Tony Dungy faced criticism from fans for their perceived lack of enthusiasm during the broadcast.
This season, Michaels has faced similar critiques as the "Thursday Night Football" schedule has not consistently featured compelling matchups. Michaels expressed surprise in his conversation with the New York Post regarding the recent changes to his broadcasting assignments.
"It’s in my deal," Michaels said to the newspaper. "Where are you hearing that from? That’s part of my deal. Are you hearing something that I’m not hearing?"
The NFL playoffs are set to kick off on January 13.
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