Legendary NFL play-by-play announcer Al Michaels will be back in the broadcast booth for the 2026 season on Amazon Prime Video, the streaming service confirmed Friday night, ensuring another year of his veteran voice on Thursday Night Football and playoff games.
The announcement arrives amid questions about the future of one of football’s most familiar voices, who at 81 has faced both admiration for his decades of work and criticism about his recent performances.
Michaels, who has called primetime NFL games for more than four decades across multiple networks, had been working on a year-by-year basis after his initial contract with Amazon expired.
Michaels and longtime broadcast partner Kirk Herbstreit are scheduled to call the upcoming NFC Wild Card matchup between the Green Bay Packers and the Chicago Bears at Soldier Field, another high-profile assignment in what has already been a storied career.
While some fans have speculated that Michaels may be out of touch or even disinterested in his job, Amazon clearly disagrees.
The network recently confirmed that Michaels plans to return for the 2026 NFL season, extending his career into his 82nd year.
“First of all, I feel great,” Michaels said during an interview with Sports Business Journal’s Richard Deitsch.
“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.”
Prime Video’s decision means that the broadcaster, known for iconic moments such as his “Do you believe in miracles?” call at the 1980 Winter Olympics, will continue as the lead play-by-play commentator for the streaming service’s NFL coverage, including the Thursday Night Football package.
Prime Video doubles down on proven veteran voice
Michaels first moved to Amazon in 2022, when the streamer took over exclusive rights to Thursday Night Football, shifting a primetime product that had been on broadcast television for decades to a streamingonly audience.
In interviews late last year, Michaels also made clear he wasn’t ready to step away from the microphone simply because of his age or the chatter from fans and analysts.
His one-year approach to contracts reflects both his desire to keep calling games and Amazon‘s strategy to evaluate its broadcast talent on a rolling basis.
Michaels‘ resume spans more than 50 years in sports media, including legendary stints on Monday Night Football and Sunday Night Football, as well as major sporting events beyond the NFL.
Along with numerous Emmy Awards and industry honors, he has been recognized with the Ford C. Frick Award from the National Baseball Hall of Fame and the Pete Rozelle Radio & Television Award from the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
