Al Michaels found himself at the center of another rough Thursday night in the booth, and this one came with two separate moments that had NFL fans lighting up social media.
The veteran broadcaster, 81, was back alongside Kirk Herbstreit for the Week 9 matchup between the Ravens and Jaguars when he stumbled early. As Jacksonville’s first offensive series got underway, Michaels tried to introduce Trevor Lawrence as he stepped onto the field. Instead, he said Lawrence had been the No. 1 overall pick in 2001.
“Back in 2001, Trevor Lawrence was your number one overall draft pick.”
The mistake spread quickly online, with fans piling on almost immediately. One user on X wrote, “He’s so washed plz [please] retire and enjoy the rest of your life legend.”
Another said, “Al should have retired 5 years ago. He’s bored.”
A third added, “Yeah, it’s time to hang it up Al Michaels.”
The blunder came less than a month after Michaels addressed questions about how much longer he plans to keep calling games. Speaking on The Dan Patrick Show, he said, “Well, either the people that I work for will tell me, or I’ll know myself, a combination,” Michaels said on The Dan Patrick Show.
“Let’s put it this way. The folks at Amazon and Prime have been fantastic. Fantastic to me.”
Later in the game, Michaels added another moment that stood out for all the wrong reasons. He launched into what he called a “bedtime story” about Tom Coughlin and the Jaguars, and the monologue stretched nearly four minutes before he wrapped it up.
“Anyway, there’s your bedtime story. Interrupted by an interception, but apart from that.”
The broadcast then moved on, with Prime Video playing “Ramblin’ Man” into the break.
Michaels has been on sports television since 1971 and is best known for calling the “Miracle on Ice” at the 1980 Winter Olympics. He has handled NFL play-by-play for a national audience since 1986, beginning with ABC’s Monday Night Football.
He later joined NBC in 2006 before moving to Amazon Prime Video when it took over Thursday Night Football in 2022. Over the past two years, Amazon has checked in with him at the end of each season to see whether he wants to return.
“If they come to me and say, you know, it’s time for us to move on.” he continued. “You guys have been fantastic. You’ve been great.
“I’ve done the NFL for 41 years, which is half my life. Love it.
But you know what? At a certain time, it’s time.
“And if they feel it’s time, great. And if I feel it’s time, I’ll know it.
And I’ll say, ‘You know what? Thanks for the memories.’”
In Other News...
Jaguars Trade Buzz Just Raised One Huge Question About Their 2026 Push
The Jaguars long-term planning is already getting a lot of attention, and now the conversation has widened to the defensive front. Jacksonville is reportedly trying to work out a trade for either Eagles defensive tackle Jalen Carter or Panthers defensive tackle Derrick Brown, a sign the team is at least exploring major moves as it looks ahead to a 2026 push. Carter just signed a four-year extension with Philadelphia, while Brown has been active this season and has put together a strong defensive stretch for Carolina.
For Jacksonville, the appeal is obvious: both players would change the look of a defense that wants to be more disruptive when the roster is built out for that next window. The timing makes the buzz even more interesting, especially with Philadelphia dealing with its own issues and the Jaguars trying to gauge how aggressive they want to be in pursuit of a difference-maker. Whether this turns into a real trade or just another sign of where Jacksonvilles head is at, it has already raised a bigger question about how far the team is willing to go to speed up its 2026 plans. [Read more 🡒]
Ravens Quarterback Chaos Just Changed Everything For The Jaguars
The Jaguars trip to Baltimore suddenly looks a lot different after the Ravens were hit with a wave of quarterback injuries heading into Thursday night. Lamar Jackson is dealing with a thumb injury, Tyler Huntley is out for the season with a toe injury, and Baltimore has had to scramble just to build enough depth at the position.
Joe Fagnano is now the likely starter, with the Ravens adding Kaden Slovis and Austin Reed to help stabilize the room. For Jacksonville, it changes the shape of the matchup in a hurry, turning what looked like a tough road test into a game with a very different kind of uncertainty attached to it. [Read more 🡒]
Ravens Face A Brutal Thursday Night Reality Fans Can't Ignore
Trevor Lawrence has become the most logical centerpiece for the DraftKings single-game showdown around Jacksonvilles Week 9 meeting with Baltimore, and the matchup breakdown reflects why. The analysis leans on recent performance metrics and game conditions to sort through the captain and flex pool, with Lawrence standing out at quarterback while the receiver group adds the next layer of intrigue.
Zay Flowers and Parker Washington are among the pass-catchers drawing attention, while the defensive and special teams spots remain part of the conversation for roster builders trying to squeeze value out of a tight slate. With player availability and expected usage still shaping the picture, the real challenge is less about identifying the obvious names and more about reading how the game flow might steer the final lineup decisions. [Read more 🡒]