Kirk Herbstreit Defends Al Michaels With Honest Message About ‘TNF’ Games Not Being the Best

He let the curses fly while defending the legendary announcer.

Kirk Herbstreit fired back at critics of his Thursday Night Football broadcast partner Al Michaels during an appearance on Barstool Sports’ Pardon My Take this week.

The 79-year-old broadcasting legend has come under fire for a perceived lack of excitement during his calls on Thursday games, with many fans calling for Michaels to retire over the boring broadcasts. But Herbstreit defended Michaels, saying the energy he brings to each game meets the moment based on the importance of the game.

Tennessee Titans fans laugh Al Michaels before the game between the Tennessee Titans and the Dallas Cowboys at Nissan Stadium on Thursday, Dec. 29, 2022, in Nashville, Tenn.

George Walker IV / Tennessean.com / USA TODAY NETWORK

“Al, when he would do Sunday Night Football or Monday Night Football, those games were massive … and your voice projects based on the setting that you’re in,” Herbstreit said. “These Thursday night games, they’re good, but I don’t think they’re at the level of a Sunday night game or what I’m doing, a Saturday night game. I think your voice always matches with what you’re doing.”

Herbstreit later called the criticism of Michaels “bulls---” and gave some insight into how Michaels views some of the hate he has received.

“I don’t think he’s like, ‘I’ll show them, I’m going to really bring it this week.’ He’s not doing that,” Herbstreit said. “He has much more of an eff you attitude than I’m going to show them. So he thinks it’s a bunch of bulls---, I think it’s a bunch of bulls---, and I think it’s a narrative that social media is kind of running with.”

Herbstreit also said he considers himself very similar to Michaels in terms of his energy levels changing depending on how big a game he’s broadcasting, an indicator that Michaels’s lack of enthusiasm isn’t age-related.

“Working with him is very surreal,” Herbstreit said. “I’ve noticed that Al Michaels is very much like me. When the game warrants excitement, he brings excitement.”