Joe Buck did not mince words when the conversation turned to Al Michaels and the criticism surrounding the veteran broadcaster’s recent work on Prime Video. Appearing on The Sports-Casters Podcast, the ESPN Monday Night Football voice offered a forceful defense of Al Michaels, whose performance calling Thursday Night Football has drawn mixed reactions from fans during Amazon’s NFL package.
“It just drives me nuts because I’m such a fan of Al’s,” Buck said. “All I have to do is hear his voice, him say one word. I’m like, OK, I’m watching that game because it’s important, and if he’s there, it’s an important game.”
Buck’s comments arrive at a notable moment for Michaels. Prime Video executives recently renewed an agreement for the 81-year-old broadcaster to return for the 2026 NFL season. Michaels has served as the lead play-by-play voice for Prime Video since 2022, anchoring Amazon’s growing Thursday Night Football presence.
While Michaels’ longevity and delivery style have become talking points on social media, Buck made it clear that his admiration has not wavered.
“I think he’s phenomenal. I still think he’s phenomenal,” Buck said. “I listen to him, and I marvel at what he’s able to do. I just think he’s fantastic.”
Michaels has been candid about how he evaluates his future. Rather than focusing on public criticism, he has repeatedly emphasized self-awareness and performance as his guiding standards.
“First of all, I feel great,” Michaels said recently. “Everyone at Amazon has been fantastic, and I love working with this group. I’ve been taking this one year at a time. As long as I feel I’m at the top of my game, I’d like to keep going.”
Michaels reiterated on Mad Dog Sports Radio that he will know when it is time to step away.
“I have to be able to know that I can do the game at the level that satisfies me,” he said.
For Buck, that standard still appears to be met. As criticism grows louder in the digital age, his comments offered a reminder that respect within the broadcast booth often tells a different story than the noise outside it.
“I just hold him up as the best to ever do it,” said Buck. “I don’t get it. I don’t agree with it. I don’t think it’s fair and I don’t think accurate at all.”
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