Game On: Sports News, Highlights & Commentary
- Al Michaels hallucinated a fumble that never occurred earlier in the half.
- Appeared disengaged on Rhamondre Stevenson's 48-yard halftime touchdown for the Patriots, reacting only as he neared the end zone.
- Misstated Cubs history, saying it was 10 years since a World Series in Cleveland instead of since the National League pennant.
- Incorrectly said Drake Maye and Caleb Williams were drafted in 2014 instead of 2024.
- Failed to notice a helmet-to-knee hit on D'Andre Swift, who briefly left the game with an injury.
Hallucinated fumble, missed injury highlight Al Michaels’ flubs during Bears vs. Patriots ‘TNF’ game originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
The Bears and Patriots produced some exciting moments on “Thursday Night Football,” but some viewers didn’t think Al Michaels did them justice.
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Michaels, who has been open about 2026 potentially being his final year calling NFL games as he approaches his 82nd birthday, had a series of mistakes and awkward moments, generating some buzz on social media.
Criticism of Michaels is nothing new, as he has been much more subdued behind the microphone in his later years as a broadcaster, but the performance Thursday had some wondering whether he might be nearing the end of his career.
Here’s a look at Michaels’ mishaps during the game at Soldier Field.
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Al Michaels’ mistakes on ‘TNF’ broadcast
Michaels had a few awkward moments during Thursday night’s broadcast, but it was his call of the Patriots’ improbable touchdown at the end of the first half that raised a few eyebrows.
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After it looked for a moment as though the Patriots might not even run another play before halftime, Rhamondre Stevenson ripped through a confused Bears defense to go 48 yards for a touchdown as time expired. The sequence was one of the wildest you’ll see all season, but Michaels didn’t seem to be too interested until Stevenson was nearly in the end zone.
Earlier in the half, Michaels saw a fumble that did not happen:
Michaels also misspoke about the Cubs, saying Thursday marked 10 years since they won the World Series in Cleveland when he meant to say it was 10 years since they won the National League pennant.
At one point, Michaels also said Drake Maye and Caleb Williams were drafted in 2014 rather than 2024.
Michaels also missed a helmet to the knee of D’Andre Swift, who briefly had to leave the game.
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Earlier in October, Michaels told “The Dan Patrick Show” that he would be content if Amazon Prime Video wanted to go in a different direction after the season.
“I’ve done the NFL for 41 years, which is half my life. Love it. But you know what? At a certain time, it’s time,” Michaels said. “And if they feel it’s time, great. And if I feel it’s time, I’ll know it. And I’ll say, ‘You know what? Thanks for the memories.'”
In the eyes of many viewers, it is time. Here’s how fans reacted.
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Reaction to Al Michaels’ ‘TNF’ performance
Fans called for Michaels’ retirement during Thursday’s game:
Some fans were especially confused about the non-existent fumble that Michaels saw.
Kirk Herbstreit also took some heat from viewers.
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