Is Al Michaels, one of the biggest voices of the game, thinking about retirement? Thursday Night Football on Amazon Prime has been his home since 2022, and the 81-year-old sportscaster is certainly game for more.

“If I had to make a decision today, I would want to come back again,” Michaels told SI Media’s Jimmy Traina. “It’s a two-way street here. They could tell me, ‘Hey, we got to move on. It’s time to make a transition.’ – But as we sit here on this mid-November afternoon, I feel really good. I think at this moment in time, yeah, I would like to continue.”

Al Michaels only signed a three-year deal with Amazon back in 2022, which came to an end after 2024. This season, he’s on a year-to-year basis with no concrete direction from Amazon yet. But Michaels’ mindset isn’t about nostalgia or a career capstone. He just loves the gig; the crew, the action, and the rhythm of another NFL season. Amazon’s Thursday night slot is also getting beefier with ratings going through the roof.  

Amazon has boosted the TNF schedule after some shaky years. Think bigger games, serious playoff implications, even a Christmas night showdown. Michaels gets the playoff Wild Card call again this year. But even if he didn’t, it wouldn’t be a deal-breaker for him. “Look, I’ve done 11 Super Bowls, how many Wild Card games, and all. My plate has been filled up for a long time. Everything. It still excites me. I’m still passionate about it.”

The only holdup now is for both sides to say yes. Nothing’s promised, even for legendary sportscasting icons. Michaels knows Amazon could pull a fast one and move on. But if he gets his way, he’s not stepping down.

And here’s where it gets interesting. Al Michaels isn’t just some fixture hanging on too long. He’s evolved with every media shift: network TV, cable, and now streaming. That edge, that adaptability, is what got him here. His on-air opinions aren’t just about hyping people up. He’s also put a lot of people on the spot. It’s why when he says, “I would like to continue,” it matters. You just need to take a look at his illustrious career to know what’s at stake if Michaels’ voice goes away from football.

The unmatched Al Michaels era

Al Michaels isn’t just a voice. He’s a living, breathing piece of football history. He called his first NFL game back in 1975 with CBS. Since then, he’s been the voice behind ABC’s Monday Night Football, had a long run with NBC on Sunday Night Football, and now he’s the voice behind Amazon’s Thursday Nights. He’s even made some mistakes on-air, but came back stronger. But his legacy stretches far beyond the NFL.

He’s covered the NBA, MLB, and even the Olympics across 5 decades of his career. In the 1980 Winter Olympics, Michaels was the voice behind the historic ‘Miracle on Ice’, the ice hockey medal round between the U.S. and the Soviet Nation. He’s even popped up in the movie ‘Jerry Maguire,’ TV shows like ‘Coach, ’ ‘Spin City,’ and ‘Hawaii Five-0.’ Michaels’ streak lives off camera as well. 

Michaels is an LA restaurant staple, a regular table, and decades of staff who know his order by heart. He’s also still cashing residual checks from Hollywood cameos—some for $140, some even for $0.13—which are all part of the Al Michaels lore. He even had Eminem waiting for him at the truck after one particular Super Bowl.

Will Al Michaels be back in 2026? That call is still up in the air until both sides say yes. Michaels has made his stance clear, and we’ll find out where Amazon stands after this NFL season is over. But here’s the bottom line: the game’s just better when he’s on the call.