Thursday Night Football under the lights at Lambeau Field always feels special. This week, the Washington Commanders come to town to face the Green Bay Packers in a game with real playoff stakes.
Fans will be glued to every snap, but just as important are the voices guiding the broadcast, who set the scene, explain the drama, and capture the emotion in real time.
A Look at Today’s Broadcasters for Thursday Night Football
For this week’s game, that responsibility falls to Al Michaels, Kirk Herbstreit, and Kaylee Hartung, Amazon Prime Video’s main crew for Thursday nights.
Al Michaels
If you’ve watched sports at any point in the last 40 years, chances are you’ve heard Michaels’ voice. He’s the man behind iconic calls like the “Miracle on Ice” at the 1980 Winter Olympics and has called nearly every Super Bowl moment of a generation. For many fans, his voice is the sound of big games.
Bring your snacks. It’s on. #TNFonPrime pic.twitter.com/RSk8NuMGik
— Prime Video (@PrimeVideo) September 11, 2025
After decades at ABC and NBC, Michaels joined Amazon in 2022 when Thursday Night Football shifted exclusively to streaming. At 80, he didn’t have to take the leap but wanted to be part of what he called a “new frontier.” It was a bold move, but it shows why Michaels has lasted so long: he’s never been afraid to adapt. His presence gives every game a sense of weight, almost like history unfolds as you watch.
Kirk Herbstreit
In the booth next to Michaels is Herbstreit, whose voice college football fans are familiar with. For almost thirty years, Herbstreit, a former quarterback for Ohio State, has been analyzing plays on ESPN’s College GameDay. He’s well-known for his enthusiasm, planning, and ability to simplify complex plans.
When Amazon hired him in 2022, it was about pairing him with a legend. Herbstreit still calls college games on ESPN, so his fall schedule is a whirlwind, but the TNF job lets him live out a dream he’s had for years: calling NFL games every week. He brings fresh eyes and a different kind of passion to the booth, which balances perfectly with Michaels’ veteran polish.
Kaylee Hartung
Hartung is on the sidelines, yet her journey is equally fascinating. After transitioning from hard news at CBS to sports at ESPN, she returned to news at ABC and CNN. Throughout it all, she has established a reputation as a tenacious and empathetic storyteller. According to Hartung, the death of her father when she was a little girl inspired her to convey stories with compassion so that people never feel that they are only news stories.
It seemed like home to her when she joined Amazon’s broadcast in 2022 and returned to sports. Hartung views the sideline as a place to demonstrate the human element of the game, not merely to report injuries.
So when the Commanders and Packers kick off on Thursday night, the football will take center stage, but the broadcast will carry its own magic. Michaels, Herbstreit, and Hartung aren’t just relaying what happens; they’re shaping how fans experience it.
