According to reports, Al Michaels has been unexpectedly removed from NFL Playoff coverage by NBC.
One of the long-standing figures in NFL broadcasting is set to be noticeably absent as the professional football playoffs kick off on January 13. NBC has unexpectedly removed Al Michaels from postseason coverage, a move that took him by surprise, as reported by Andrew Marchand of The New York Post on Tuesday morning.
Al Michaels, aged 79, has been a consistent presence on Thursday Night Football, delivering play-by-play commentary alongside former Ohio State quarterback and commentator Kirk Herbstreit since 2022. Notably, Michaels played a role in last season’s coverage, providing play-by-play for NBC during the Jacksonville Jaguars’ thrilling 31-30 wild-card victory over the Chargers in an emeritus capacity.
According to Marchand’s report, NBC’s playoff broadcast teams will now feature regular Sunday Night Football broadcasters Mike Tirico and Cris Collinsworth, as well as college football broadcasters Noah Eagle and Todd Blackledge. Tirico and Collinsworth are set to call two games—one on NBC and another exclusively on Peacock—while Eagle and Blackledge will contribute to one game.
Al Michaels, widely regarded as one of the premier play-by-play announcers in the history of North American sports, served NBC from 2006 to 2021 and had an extensive tenure at ABC from 1976 to 2006.
