NFL announcer Al Michaels is facing growing calls to retire after repeating the same shocking mistake in back-to-back weeks.
Michaels, 81, is one of the most legendary voices in sports and has been calling NFL games since 1986, including 11 Super Bowls.
These days, he is leading the Amazon Prime Video booth for Thursday Night Football alongside Kirk Herbstreit with no indications he is ready to hang up his microphone any time soon.
But fans are growing increasingly frustrated with the veteran after a slew of mistakes – the latest of which came as the Cleveland Browns beat the Pittsburgh Steelers on this week’s TNF.
As Browns defensive lineman Mason Graham went down with an injury, Al Michaels referred to him as a product of Michigan State.
Graham actually played for their fierce rivals, the University of Michigan, where he was a national champion and unanimous All-American before being drafted by the Browns in 2025.
Al Michaels has faced calls to retire after another shocking error on Thursday Night Football
Michaels called Mason Graham a Michigan State product while the ex-Michigan star was hurt
Fans online were quick to react with the rivalry between the two schools meaning it left many in Michigan in particular upset.
One fan said, ‘@KirkHerbstreit can’t believe you let Al Michaels disrespect Mason Graham like that saying he went to Michigan State.’
A second fan wrote: ‘Al Michaels owes Mason Graham an apology. He just said he went MSU. He won a national championship with @UMichFootball. Can’t make that mistake. He literally added insult to his injury #TNF #NFL.’
Another added: ‘Al Michaels needs to retire: just said Mason graham went to Michigan state. The disrespect is crazy!!!!”
Michaels made the same sort of error the previous week, being accused of committing a ‘cardinal sin’ by mixing up two rival schools.
Calling the Atlanta Falcons’ clash against the Green Bay Packers at Lambeau Field, Michaels endured a nightmare start to the action.
During the opening drive, Michaels attempted to recap the college journey of Falcons quarterback Michael Penix Jr – only to get his facts completely wrong.
In an attempt to set the scene, Michaels told viewers that Penix Jr had started his career at Indiana before having ‘two great years at Oregon.’
Michaels has been announcing NFL games since 1986 and has called 11 Super Bowls so far
Michaels got Michael Penix Jr’s college wrong during last week’s Falcons game in Green Bay
College football fans quickly seized on the glaring error, pointing out that Penix starred for the Washington Huskies – who are fierce rivals of the Oregon Ducks.
Taking to X, one disgruntled fan wrote: ‘Al Michaels just committed the cardinal sin of football, saying Michael Penix had ‘two great years at Oregon.’ He corrected himself after my blood pressure had already spiked.’
Speaking about his future at the end of last season, Michaels said: ‘First of all, I feel great.
‘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.’
