Al Michaels reveals announcing plans beyond 2023 NFL season

Legendary play-by-play broadcaster Al Michaels has no plans to ride off into the sunset following the ongoing NFL season regardless of what anybody has to say about his on-air performances. 

"As far as I’m concerned, I’m doing next year," Michaels told Andrew Marchand of the New York Post for a piece published Wednesday. "There’s no question about that in my mind." 

Michaels turns 79 years old this coming Sunday and is in the second season of a three-year contract with Amazon Prime Video to call "Thursday Night Football" games that Marchand wrote pays "an estimated $500,000 to $1M" per contest. 

Fans and media members, alike, have repeatedly ripped Michaels' work since September 2022, and Awful Announcing's Sean Keeley said last week that Michaels sucked "the enjoyment out of watching" the Week 9 matchup between the Tennessee Titans and Pittsburgh Steelers. 

Michaels and partner Kirk Hebrstreit will be on the call when the 1-7 Carolina Panthers play at the 2-7 Chicago Bears this Thursday night. 

During his chat with Marchand, Michaels insisted he won't enjoy any type of "retirement tour" whenever he decides he's working for a final season. 

"No, I mean, Keith Jackson had one of those things and came back and did it another seven years," Michaels explained. "...Look when I’m done, it’s the way John Madden was done. Two words and a contraction: 'It’s time.' I don’t need any parade or that nonsense."

Michaels previously likened calling bad "Thursday Night Football" contests to selling "a 20-year-old Mazda." The NFL responded to such takes by actively trying to give Michaels and fans what are, on paper, better midweek games beginning this season. 

"I don’t think I’m a lot different than I have been through the years," Michaels added. "And if people you know want to say that, 'Al doesn’t sound as excited.' Hold on a second, folks. I’m doing the same game I’ve always done."

Brandon Contes of Awful Announcing pointed out on Wednesday that Michaels is neither the best nor worst play-by-play commentator doing nationally televised football games this fall. Fans may not agree with Contes, but Michaels made it known he's not going anywhere anytime soon.