Al Michaels to cover NFL, Olympics with honorary role at NBC Sports – The Hollywood Reporter

After all, Al Michaels did not leave NBC Sports.

Longtime NFL play-by-play announcer may have left NBC’s Sunday night football for a new role at Amazon Thursday Night Footballbut thanks to an unusual deal with the broadcaster, he will continue to appear on NBC.

NBC Sports has placed Michaels in an “honorary role,” which will see him contribute to NBC Sports’ NFL playoff coverage, as well as its Olympics coverage. NBC Sports President Pete Bevacqua announced the new deal Tuesday.

Amazon’s NFL booth will include Michaels and ESPN analyst Kirk Herbstreit, with longtime NBC Sunday night football Executive producer Fred Gaudelli led the group. Gaudelli is also attached to NBC Sports as a moderator and contributor to SNFof production.

Michaels, who called his 11th Super Bowl earlier this year, also called 8 World Series (including the infamous San Francisco earthquake during the 1989 World Series) and 9 Olympics (including the call to action). legendary “Do you believe in miracles?” When the US men’s hockey team had an impressive victory over the Soviet Union at the 1980 Winter Olympics in Lake Placid).

“Respected by viewers and colleagues, Al has been the soundtrack to many of the greatest moments in sports television history,” Bevacqua said in a statement. “We are delighted that he remains in the family and elevates our events for many years to come.”

The Michaels shuffle comes as television sports divisions spend huge sums on talent, fueled by lucrative new NFL rights deals and the general expansion of sports content. More recently, Fox struck a deal (worth potentially more than $350 million) with Tampa Bay Buccaneers winger Tom Brady, who will join Fox’s broadcast booth whenever he’s He decided to retire.