Amazon Just Made One Brutal Decision About Al Michaels That Has NFL Fans Fuming
Al Michaels built a legendary broadcasting career over five decades.
But his last few years on Thursday Night Football have tested that legacy.
And Amazon just made one brutal decision about Al Michaels that has NFL fans fuming.
Amazon brings back 81-year-old Michaels for another year
Amazon Prime Video announced Michaels is coming back to call Thursday Night Football next season.
The 81-year-old broadcaster has been calling NFL games since 1975.
Michaels originally signed a three-year deal worth $45 million when Amazon acquired the Thursday night package in 2022.
After that contract expired following the 2024 season, Amazon brought him back on a one-year deal for 2025.
Now they're keeping him for at least one more season when he'll be 82 years old.
"First of all, I feel great," Michaels told Sports Business Journal. "Everyone at Amazon has been fantastic and I love working with this group."
The decision immediately sparked backlash from NFL fans who've been calling for Michaels to retire for more than a year.
"My lord this is brutal," one fan wrote on X. "The biggest play of the game could be happening and it's like they ran for 2 yards on second down."
Another blasted the announcement: "He needs to call it quits, his commentary was garbage this season."
The criticism has been mounting for months as fans grew increasingly frustrated with Michaels' low-energy calls during crucial moments.
Fans say Michaels is "sleepwalking" through biggest games of the season
The complaints reached a fever pitch during Week 16 when the Rams and Seahawks played one of the best games of the entire season.
Seattle's Rashid Shaheed returned a punt for a touchdown in the fourth quarter that brought the Seahawks back into the game.
Michaels sounded like he was announcing a preseason scrimmage.
"Al Michaels it might be time to hang it up," one fan posted along with video of the call. "Least enthusiastic touchdown call you'll ever hear."
When Puka Nacua scored the go-ahead touchdown in overtime to decide the NFC's top seed, Michaels called it with all the excitement of someone ordering coffee.
"50 yard TD in overtime to decide the 1 seed and Al Michaels just called it like a random touchdown in a second quarter," another fan complained.
The criticism isn't new.
Fans have been begging Michaels to retire since last season.
"They gotta get Al Michaels off TNF," one viewer wrote earlier this year. "He be sleepwalking through it."
Another was more direct: "Al Michaels gotta retire man. This the game of the year right now and he calling it with the energy you use when you can't decide what appetizer to order."
The complaints follow a consistent pattern — Michaels sounds bored and detached during the biggest moments.
"Al Michaels is an absolute legend but it's time to hang it up," one fan argued. "Guy is about 3 seconds behind every play and talks with the enthusiasm of a school librarian."
Multiple viewers compared his current performance to a washed-up athlete hanging on too long.
"Al Michaels in 2025 is Celtics Shaq," one fan wrote.
Michaels defended his broadcasting style months ago
Michaels is well aware of the criticism.
He appeared on The Pat McAfee Show last year to defend his low-key calling style.
"It's a 60-minute game," Michaels explained. "If you scream your guts out in the first five minutes, where are you going to go?"
He pointed to other legendary broadcasters like Joe Buck and Jim Nantz who also don't yell during broadcasts.
"You look at Joe Buck and Jim Nantz and myself, we did like 17 of the last 18 Super Bowls," Michaels said. "We don't scream the game at you, we don't holler the game at you."
But that defense doesn't hold up when fans compare Michaels' current calls to his previous work.
His iconic "Do you believe in miracles?" call from the 1980 Olympics had genuine emotion.
His calls during Sunday Night Football on NBC showed energy and excitement.
Now on Thursday nights, that spark is gone.
Michaels told the SI Media podcast in November that he still loves the work.
"I feel really good right now. It's been a good year. A lot of fun," Michaels said. "I love the people I'm working with. So if I had to make a decision today, I would want to come back."
He acknowledged that Amazon could decide to move on without him.
"It's a two-way street here," Michaels added. "They could tell me, 'Hey, we gotta move on.'"
But Amazon isn't moving on.
The streaming giant is sticking with Michaels despite widespread fan complaints about his performance.
Herbstreit signed a five-year contract in 2022 that keeps him at Amazon through next season.
That gives Amazon one more season to ride out Michaels' contract before potentially making a change.
Amazon's decision puts short-term stability over long-term credibility
Amazon is betting that Michaels' legendary status will carry him through another season despite declining performance.
The company paid billions for Thursday Night Football rights.
They're investing heavily to make their NFL coverage a flagship product.
But they're pairing that investment with a broadcaster who fans increasingly view as past his prime.
Michaels has called some of the most iconic moments in sports broadcasting history.
His career speaks for itself.
But there's a difference between respecting someone's legacy and pretending that legacy means they can do the job forever.
NFL fans aren't stupid.
They can hear the difference between Michaels at his peak and Michaels now.
Keeping him in the booth damages both his legacy and Amazon's product.
The criticism will only grow louder next season as Michaels turns 82.
Every low-energy call will spark the same complaints that have dominated social media for the past year.
Amazon had a chance to let Michaels retire with dignity before the backlash got worse.
Instead, they're bringing him back for another year of fans begging him to step away.
Sources:
- Richard Deitsch, "Al Michaels Returning to Prime Video for 2026 NFL Season," Sports Business Journal, January 9, 2026.
- Brandon Contes, "Al Michaels returning to 'Thursday Night Football' for 2026 NFL season," Awful Announcing, January 9, 2026.
- Kofie Yeboah, "Al Michaels just doesn't have it anymore," Awful Announcing, December 19, 2025.
- Alex Hoegler, "Amazon Prime Video Called Out For 'Brutal' Al Michaels Decision," The Spun, January 9, 2026.
- Sports Media Watch, "Al Michaels returning for another season of 'Thursday Night Football,'" January 9, 2026.
