Legendary sportscaster Al Michaels took a page out of Cris Collinsworth‘s book on ‘Thursday Night Football’ when introducing the Washington Commanders offense, and quarterback Jayden Daniels in particular.
Michaels, now of Amazon Prime Video, has worked on network sports television since 1971 and used to work with Collinsworth on NBC Sports. The pair split when Collinsworth chose to remain with NBC while Michaels joined Amazon, with Mike Tirico replacing him as the ‘Sunday Night Football’ play-by-play commentator.
Both sportscasting legends have their own catchphrases, with Michaels exciting fans over the years when reacting to wide receivers who are “wide open” and heading toward the end zone. Collinsworth has become known for introducing the top players by saying “So here’s a guy…” before going into further detail.
On Thursday, Michaels seemed to follow Collinsworth’s lead and, when speaking about Daniels, said, “So here’s a guy” in a very similar tone. “So here’s a guy who doesn’t throw into a lot of trouble or traffic, and he’s only had a couple of picks, and they came in Weeks 4 and 5,” Michaels said.
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Michaels has recently turned 80 and is one of the legends of the broadcasting game, calling plays for over 50 years and being a popular figure with the fans. Collinsworth is also a huge figure on NBC Sports, but owes a lot to Michaels after learning alongside him for 15 years.
Collinsworth moved around several broadcasting roles after retiring from the NFL, where he enjoyed eight seasons with the Cincinnati Bengals between 1981-89. The former wide receiver was called to fill the vacant ‘Sunday Night Football’ role when John Madden left in 2009, and he’s never looked back.
When speaking about what Michaels taught him over those 15 years, Collinsworth told Barrett Sports Media: “I think I learned that you don’t have to be mean-spirited. But you’ve got to be honest, and you’ve got to be willing to say what others may not feel comfortable saying.
“Because your relationship isn’t really with the players and coaches anymore, it’s with the audience. Its with the people that are watching on television, and you have to earn their trust that whether it’s something positive or negative that you’re saying, it’s what you honestly believe.”
It was an adjustment for Collinsworth who noticed it was better to be relaxed despite calling the biggest games. “They want to take three hours and watch a football game and not have the announcer wear them out [or] feel like the announcer’s a shill for players and coaches in the league,” Collinsworth added.
“But know that I’ve done my homework and hopefully it’s a little bit fun [and] a little bit relaxing.” Collinsworth recently signed an extension with NBC Sports that will see him through the 2029-30 season. It’s believed his current contract is worth around $12.5 million per year.
Michaels is in the final year of his three-year deal with Amazon and is believed to be earning $15 million per season. There has been no update on whether Michaels will re-sign with Amazon, join a rival network, or retire at the end of the 2024 season.
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