Al Michaels Gets Called Out Over Rookie Broadcasting Blunder Involving Caleb Williams and Drake Maye

Al Michaels has been in the broadcast business since the late 1960s and is still going strong even at the ripe old age of 81, or is he? A minor slip-up during Thursday Night’s game between the Bears and the Patriots reignited the same old question: Is it time for Michaels to retire?

The Bears led by six points at the midway mark. The Amazon broadcast momentarily switched to the booth as the medical team tended to tight end Cole Kmet.

Michaels started talking about Caleb Williams and his draft class. The only issue was that he fumbled the year.

The draft class of [2014]… Six quarterbacks picked in the first dozen. Of course, you had Caleb [Williams] going number one, [Drake] Maye going number three. Jayden Daniels [Washington] going number two.

Al Michaels said

Al Michaels is so drunk he thinks Caleb Williams and Drake Maye were drafted in 2014. They were drafted 10 years later. https://t.co/LnBKyUHS8F

— Chad Fisher DNP (@ChadFisher) October 23, 2026

Michaels’ colleague, Kirk Herbstreit, squinted when Michaels said 2014 instead of 2024. Clearly, Herbstreit realized Michaels made a mistake.

When will Al Michaels retire?

Michaels joined Amazon Prime in 2022 while still working with NBC Sports. He became the voice of Prime TNF alongside Herbstreit.

Five years later, Michaels is still calling games and will continue until the network shows him the door.

Let’s put it this way. The folks at Amazon and Prime have been fantastic. Fantastic to me. If they come to me and say, you know, it’s time for us to move on … 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‘.

Al Michaels said on the Dan Patrick Show

Michaels began his career with Radio before transitioning to TV. He worked for NBC Sports from 1971 to 1974 before switching to ABC Sports, where he spent thirty years of his life (1976 to 2006). He rejoined NBC in 2006 and remained part of the network until 2023.

In 2022, Michaels signed a 3-year deal worth roughly $15 million per year, according to USA Today. After his original contract expired in 2024, he moved to a year-to-year contract structure. Earlier in 2026, Amazon brought Michaels back to call games.

Possible Al Michaels replacement Amazon could target

Michaels seems comfortable in his role, despite occasional human error. That said, Amazon reportedly already has a replacement ready to take Michaels’ place once he retires.

A report from Andrew Marchand of The Athletic listed CBS Sports’ Ian Eagle as Amazon’s top target.

While Michaels’ future plans are still undetermined, Prime Video has CBS’ No. 2 [NFL play-by-player] Ian Eagle on the top of its list to succeed him on ‘Thursday Night Football.’ Eagle is already Prime Video’s top NBA play-by-player. Eagle is in the final year of his CBS contract.

Marchand wrote in his report.

However, that could only happen if CBS allows Eagle to leave. Marchand made it clear that CBS plans to keep the play-by-play star, as he recently replaced Jim Nantz as the network’s voice of the Final Four.

The Bears defeat the Patriots

Bears quarterback Caleb Williams threw 22 completions for 308 yards and two touchdowns, while Patriots Drake Maye completed 24 passes for 321 yards, 2 touchdowns, and one interception. Maye also scored one rushing touchdown.

However, it wasn’t enough for the Patriots to secure a fifth win of the season as they lost 24-30. The Patriots are 4-3 and the Bears are 5-2 in the NFL at the moment.

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