Al Michaels responded to the criticism over his unenthusiastic performance as TNF announcer

The energy hasn't been there for Michaels this season.

When it comes to legendary sports broadcasters, Al Michaels deserves to be among the best. He’s called some of the biggest moments in American sports during a career that spans decades. But at 78 years old, the drop-off for Michaels has been noticeable.

He’s somewhat aware of it too.

Since leaving NBC’s Sunday Night Football booth to join Prime’s Thursday Night Football, Michaels has seemingly coasted through games with a concerning lack of enthusiasm. He’s not making major mistakes, but he’s calling impressive and game-ending/changing plays as if they’re two-yard runs in the third quarter.

Al Michaels dude I’m begging you. pic.twitter.com/LiQ731ZF7c

— Ryan Ribeiro (@Ryan__Ribeiro) October 27, 2023

In an interview with the New York Post’s Andrew Marchand, Michaels was asked about the criticism and wanted to know Marchand’s opinion on it. He told Michaels that he was similar to a pitcher who threw 97 mph earlier in his career and now has velocity in the mid-80s.

Michaels said:

“Your assessment is fair.”

Now, as for retirement questions, Michaels did say that he plans to continue as the TNF play-by-play announcer for next season. He has another year on his contract and makes around $1 million per game. Michaels added that he feels that he sounds the same as he always has:

“I don’t think I’m a lot different than I have been through the years,” Michaels said. “And if people you know want to say that, ‘Al doesn’t sound as excited.’ Hold on a second, folks. I’m doing the same game I’ve always done.”

But it’s difficult to deny something has changed when he’s calling plays like this:

It looked like this play would be nothing, but Will Levis and Derrick Henry turned it into something. pic.twitter.com/CkCh7spney

— Arye Pulli (@AryePulli) November 3, 2023

The energy just isn’t there.