Report: Amazon Prefers Al Michaels For Thursday Night Football

Sportscaster Al Michaels

NBC’s Al Michaels has emerged as Amazon Prime Video’s top choice to do play-by-play for its forthcoming exclusive Thursday night NFL package, The NY Post reports.

The courting has already begun with NBC an active part of the discussions that could include its top production people being part of a potential deal as well, according to sources, when Amazon begins its exclusive broadcast in the 2022-23 season.

Though Amazon is focused on Michaels, he is not alone on the platform’s list. Amazon also has interest in Fox’s Joe Buck and CBS’ Ian Eagle.

Ultimately, this could lead to an extraordinary contract for Michaels. Tony Romo set the market as an analyst when CBS gave him a 10-year, $180 million contract, the largest in sportscasting history.

Michaels, 76, will not receive that length, of course, but he could ask to surpass Romo’s near $1 million per game.

Michaels is slated to call the Super Bowl for NBC this season — the final season of his current deal — in his hometown of Los Angeles. Michaels has shown no inclination yet toward retiring after he does another Super Bowl. Even if the Amazon deal went through, Michaels would remain the No. 1 play-by-player for NBC this season.

In the wings at NBC is Mike Tirico, who is slated to take over the Sunday night booth full-time from Michaels in 2022-23. Tirico left ESPN’s “Monday Night Football” booth in 2016, thinking he would do more NFL, but has had to wait as Michaels has continued his legendary run. Tirico is eager to have the lead role.

Tirico has hosted the “Sunday Night Football” pregame show and has served as Michaels’ understudy, calling occasional NFL games.

Michaels could join Amazon in 2022 and remain at NBC in a lesser role than the lead voice on “SNF,” the perennial highest-rated show in network prime-time TV.

In this scenario, Michaels would call Amazon Prime’s 15 regular-season games while also broadcasting one of NBC’s wild-card playoff matchups. NBC could make Michaels part of its Olympics or golf coverage, if he wanted.