The Philadelphia Eagles’ Thursday night matchup against the New York Giants had plenty of on-field storylines, but it was veteran broadcaster Al Michaels who stole some of the spotlight, for all the wrong reasons. Despite the Giants walking away with a commanding 34–17 victory, Michaels’ repeated mistake about Saquon Barkley’s career path became the unexpected talking point of the night.

It started early in the first quarter when Michaels, calling the game for Amazon Prime Video, repeatedly claimed that Saquon Barkley had been traded to the Eagles. “Saquon Barkley, drafted by the Giants second overall back in 2018,” Michaels said, “and then, the trade. The infamous deal. Off he went to Philadelphia, of all places.”

Herbstreit tried to help his partner out with some light commentary: “And what a splash, it couldn’t have gone any better, right? He had a great year individually, and more importantly, the team won the Super Bowl.” After Herbstreit finished his line, Michaels corrected himself, right after.

“I said a trade; he signed as a free agent,” Michaels corrected, managing to toss in a friendly jab: “The Giants only wish they’d gotten something for him.” Unfortunately, that wasn’t the end of it. Early in the second quarter, Michaels slipped again, referencing “the Barkley trade” a second time. It quickly went to social media, amused and slightly bewildered that one of sports broadcasting’s most seasoned voices had doubled down on the same error within minutes.

The irony, of course, was hard to miss. Barkley did leave the Giants, but on his own terms. The star running back joined the Eagles in the 2024 offseason, signing a three-year, $37.75 million free-agent deal. His move was headline news not only because of his talent but also because he crossed divisional lines to join one of New York’s biggest rivals. On Thursday night, despite them losing, he rushed for 18 yards.

While the broadcasting drew laughter online, the game itself was no joke for the Eagles. Philadelphia’s once 4-0 record slipped to 4-2 after back-to-back losses, the latest coming in a 34–17 drubbing by the Giants. Rookie running back Cam Skattebo ran through their defense with ease, while former Eagle LeSean McCoy blasted cornerback Adoree’ Jackson on social media for what he called a “soft” performance. The Eagles’ defense looked lost, and the offense, despite early promise, fizzled out completely after halftime. For fans, it was a night to forget.

But for Michaels, the tide is not very soft.

Al Michaels’ slip adds to growing broadcast blunders

This isn’t the first time Al Michaels has found himself correcting an on-air mistake. Just a few weeks earlier, during Thursday Night Football between the Los Angeles Rams and San Francisco 49ers, Michaels repeatedly referred to Rams wide receiver Jordan Whittington as “Whittingham.” The slip became a brief viral moment, especially given Michaels’ legendary reputation and reported $15 million annual salary from Amazon Prime.

Michaels didn’t waste any time owning up to his blunder. At halftime, he apologized to viewers and to Whittington. To lighten the atmosphere, he jokingly said that he deserved to be put “in the penalty box” for the mistake.

He’s been working for more than 50 years now. With all the big events box was checked in his book. From Super Bowls, World Series, NBA Finals, Stanley Cup Finals, Kentucky Derbies, to the Olympics.

But even legends have off nights. Between the Barkley “trade” confusion and his recent Whittington mix-up, fans have begun to notice more frequent slip-ups from the veteran broadcaster. Some chalk it up to the natural challenges of a long career, while others see it as a sign that Amazon Prime’s ambitious Thursday night experiment still has a few wrinkles to iron out.