Report: ESPN 'Contemplating' Al Michaels Pursuit for 'Monday Night Football' Booth
January 25, 2022
With Al Michaels' NBC contract set to expire after Super Bowl LVI, ESPN is reportedly looking into signing the broadcasting legend to serve as the lead commentator for Monday Night Football.
Per Andrew Marchand of the New York Post, ESPN is "contemplating a pursuit" of Michaels.
According to Marchand, the network has not made any final decisions about whether it will "fully engage" Michaels.
If ESPN gets into the mix, Michaels appears to be in prime position to cash in. He hasn't confirmed anything but did indicate to Sports Illustrated's Jimmy Traina in November that Amazon is on his radar:
Jimmy Traina @JimmyTrainaSI MEDIA PODCAST with Al Michaels<br><br>- Is he headed to Amazon to call Thursday Night Football?<br>- How he analyzes the Sunday night schedule<br>- His old feud with Boomer Esiason<br>- Working with Dennis Miller on Monday Night Football<br>- Best steakhouse sides<a href="https://t.co/xB8VRk0N4b">https://t.co/xB8VRk0N4b</a> <a href="https://t.co/pXfwqH75QT">pic.twitter.com/pXfwqH75QT</a>
Around the same time, Michael McCarthy of Front Office Sports reported Amazon has interest in hiring Michaels and Troy Aikman as its broadcast duo when it gets exclusive rights to Thursday Night Football in 2022.
Michaels has worked for NBC Sports as the lead play-by-play announcer for NFL games since 2006. The 77-year-old called Monday Night Football on ABC from 1986 to 2005.
ESPN's current Monday Night Football crew consists of Steve Levy, Brian Griese and Louis Riddick Jr. They just wrapped up their second season as the No. 1 team.
The network also added the Manningcast version of the broadcast this season hosted by Peyton and Eli Manning for nine games on ESPN2.