Al Michaels has experienced nearly everything the NFL has to offer. As he gears up to call yet another historic game at Soldier Field this weekend, he’s also gained some insight into his own future.
Ahead of Saturday night’s Packers–Bears Wild Card clash, Prime Video quietly made a decision that signals continuity at the top of its NFL coverage.
Prime Video Makes Its Call on a Broadcasting Icon
Prime Video management confirmed late Thursday night that Michaels will return to the booth for the 2026 NFL season. At 81 years old, he will continue as the lead voice of the streamer’s NFL coverage, a role he has held since Amazon took over “Thursday Night Football” in 2022.
Saturday’s Wild Card game between Green Bay and Chicago is one of the marquee matchups of the opening playoff round, and Michaels admitted he was surprised and grateful to be assigned such a high-profile broadcast.
“First of all, I feel great,” Michaels told Sports Business Journal. “Everyone at Amazon has been fantastic and I love working with this group. I’ve been looking at this year one year at a time and as long as I feel I’m at the top of my game, I’d like to continue.”
For Michaels, Soldier Field carries history. This will be his 31st NFL game called at the iconic venue. His first came back in 1986, when the Bears were defending champions. He also vividly remembers his last playoff call there, the 2019 NFC Wild Card game, when Cody Parkey’s potential game-winner produced the infamous “double doink.”
“As Cris Collinsworth called it, the double doink,” Michaels recalled.
That long memory is part of what keeps Michaels valuable. He has called prime-time NFL games for 40 consecutive seasons and worked across ABC, NBC, CBS, and now Amazon. From partnering with John Madden to anchoring Sunday Night Football for nearly two decades, his voice has become an integral part of the league’s most significant moments.
Prime Video’s confidence also reflects stability. Michaels initially signed a three-year, $15 million deal in 2022, followed by a one-year extension for 2025. Now that he’s confirmed for 2026, it puts to rest any doubts about whether this postseason could be his last.
Instead, Michaels is treating it the same way he has for years — one season at a time.
After this NFL season concludes, his schedule won’t slow down much. Michaels is heading to Lake Placid for an event honoring the 1980 U.S. Olympic hockey team. It’s a deeply personal moment for the man who delivered the “Miracle on Ice” call, perhaps the most famous broadcast in sports history.
“I’m going to take my two grandsons,” Michaels said, noting he’ll reunite with members of that legendary team.
For now, though, the focus is Saturday night. Another cold evening in Chicago. Another playoff stage. And once again, Al Michaels will be there to tell the story with more chapters still ahead.
