Asked directly about his potential new work address, Michaels did not throw any cold water on the idea that it would be at Amazon. He called streaming “the new frontier” and said the NFL has ample incentive to make the company’s entry a success. That would mean the league could likely reserve plenty of quality games for Amazon as it puts together the Thursday night schedule.
“Right now, I’m playing out this year,” Michaels told Jimmy Traina, the podcast’s host and an SI columnist. “NBC has been great to me. If there is a combination for production between Amazon and NBC, that creates a different template here. Because in effect, we would wind up overseeing two packages. It’s not a deal yet. I know it’s being discussed. Amazon will probably need a partner for production and we’ll see what’s gonna happen at the end of the year.”
Michaels, who will turn 77 years old this month, has appeared on Sunday Night Football, the longtime No. 1 ratings draw on TV, since 2006. Before that, he spent 30 years at ABC Sports, covering a wide range of events. He became known for memorable lines like his call-and-response cry at the 1980 Winter Olympics when the U.S. beat the Soviet Union en route to a gold medal in hockey: “Do you believe in miracles?! Yes!” Including a stint on Monday Night Football, Michaels for decades has been regarded by many as the dean of NFL play-by-play broadcasters.
Watch the full interview with Michaels above.
