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Al Michaels, 81, Makes Career Decision Before NFL Playoffs

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Parker Johnson | Last updated Jan 9, 2026 11:21 AM ET

Al Michaels, 81, is one of the most recognizable sports broadcasters in television history. His voice has been a staple in prime-time NFL games across five decades. Michaels started with "Monday Night Football" on ABC from 1986 to 2005, moving to "Sunday Night Football" on NBC from 2006 to 2021 and, most recently, "Thursday Night Football" on Amazon Prime Video.

This weekend, he will broadcast a game from Soldier Field for the 31st time in his career when the NFL's oldest rivalry is renewed in the wild-card round of the 2025 playoffs between the Chicago Bears and the Green Bay Packers. The game kicks off at 8 p.m. ET Saturday, and it is the only game of the weekend streaming exclusively on Prime Video.

Amazon Prime Video play-by-play announcer Al Michaels before the game between the Los Angeles Rams and the New Orleans Saints.Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Since Michaels left NBC, there has been a steady concern from some viewers that the aging play-by-play man has lost his energy, especially during thrilling Thursday night contests like the Seattle Seahawks' 38-37 overtime win over the Los Angeles Rams last month.

Despite the criticism, Michaels insists he is at the top of his game.

Al Michaels called this play like it was a September game between the Saints and Browns https://t.co/KcnuHRmbPI
— Cameron DaSilva (@camdasilva) December 19, 2025

“First of all, I feel great,” Michaels said. “Everyone at Amazon has been fantastic and I love working with this group. I’ve been looking at this year one year at a time and as long as I feel I’m at the top of my game, I’d like to continue.”

That gave him the confidence to return to the booth for another season with Prime Video in 2026, a decision confirmed by the streaming company to Richard Deitsch of Sports Business Journal on Friday.

Amazon's broadcast team also includes game analyst Kirk Herbstreit and sideline reporter Kaylee Hartung. Studio coverage is hosted by Charissa Thompson and includes analysis from former players Tony Gonzalez, Ryan Fitzpatrick, Andrew Whitworth and Richard Sherman.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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