Al Michaels is an American sportscaster best known for the 1980 “Miracle on Ice” call and four decades of prime-time NFL play-by-play, with an estimated net worth of $40 million in 2026, according to Celebrity Net Worth. He is 81 (born November 12, 1944) and remains Prime Video’s play-by-play announcer for Thursday Night Football.
Few broadcasters have been present for as many major American sports moments. His résumé includes the 1980 “Miracle on Ice,” the earthquake-interrupted 1989 World Series, Monday Night Football, Sunday Night Football, numerous Super Bowls, and Amazon’s NFL package. You might also like Al Pacino Net Worth.
| Quick fact | Details |
| Full name | Alan Richard Michaels |
| Date of birth | November 12, 1944 |
| Age (October 2026) | 81 |
| Birthplace | Brooklyn, New York |
| Profession | Sports broadcaster and play-by-play announcer |
| Education | Arizona State University, broadcasting degree |
| Wife | Linda Anne Stamaton |
| Married | August 27, 1966 |
| Children | Steven and Jennifer |
| Current role | Prime Video Thursday Night Football play-by-play |
| Broadcast partner | Kirk Herbstreit |
| Major honors | Five Sports Emmys, Pete Rozelle Award, Ford C. Frick Award |
| Net worth | $40 million (Celebrity Net Worth, 2026) |
The veteran broadcaster remains an active part of major U.S. sports television in 2026. At 81, he is returning for another season of Thursday Night Football with Kirk Herbstreit. He carries a broadcasting résumé that spans more than five decades and several of the most memorable live sports moments in American television.
Why Al Michaels Still Matters in American Sports Broadcasting
Longevity alone does not explain his place in sports television. His career is unusual because he has stayed connected to major national events across several generations of viewers.
He became a familiar NFL voice long before streaming became part of the sports business. He worked Monday Night Football beginning in 1986 and later became the lead voice of NBC’s Sunday Night Football. NBC named him to an emeritus role in 2022 when he moved into Amazon’s new Thursday package.
That move also put him at the center of one of sports television’s biggest shifts. Prime Video became the exclusive home of the NFL’s Thursday package, taking a traditionally broadcast-TV product into streaming.
Amazon confirms that he and Kirk Herbstreit are back together for the 2026 season. Prime Video’s schedule includes 17 NFL games, with special holiday matchups and a Wild Card game.
From Brooklyn to the Broadcast Booth
The future announcer was born in Brooklyn, New York, and grew up close enough to Ebbets Field for baseball to become part of his childhood. His family later moved to Los Angeles.
He attended Arizona State University and graduated in 1966 with a degree in broadcasting. During college, he worked for The State Press and called university sports on student radio. ASU now lists him among its notable alumni.
His early professional path included calling Hawaii Islanders minor-league games from 1968 to 1970 before he entered Major League Baseball broadcasting. By 1971, he was calling Cincinnati Reds games. He joined the San Francisco Giants in 1974 before moving to ABC full-time in 1977.
Those jobs gave him experience across baseball, football, basketball, hockey, boxing, horse racing, and other major events. That versatility became one of the defining features of his career.
The Miracle on Ice and a Call That Became Sports History
One moment remains inseparable from his name. During the 1980 Winter Olympics in Lake Placid, the United States hockey team defeated the heavily favored Soviet Union. The broadcaster’s call as the final seconds expired became one of American sports television’s best-known lines.
The significance went beyond a hockey result. The game became a major cultural event in the United States, and the broadcast helped shape how later generations remembered it. ASU and the Baseball Hall of Fame both identify the game as one of his defining assignments. Nine years later, he was in the booth for another historic event of a completely different kind.
The 1989 World Series Earthquake
On October 17, 1989, the Loma Prieta earthquake struck shortly before Game 3 of the World Series between the Oakland Athletics and San Francisco Giants.
Instead of covering baseball, the television crew suddenly faced a developing natural disaster. His familiarity with the Bay Area helped as the broadcast shifted into breaking-news coverage. The National Baseball Hall of Fame specifically cites his performance during that World Series when describing his career.
The two events show an unusual range. One required capturing the emotion of an upset as it happened. The other required staying composed while a scheduled sports broadcast turned into serious news.
Decades of Prime-Time NFL Football
Football eventually became the strongest link between the announcer and U.S. television audiences. He joined Monday Night Football in 1986 and remained associated with the program through the 2005 season. In 2006, he moved to NBC and became the play-by-play voice of Sunday Night Football.
NBC said he completed 16 seasons on Sunday Night Football. By 2022, he had called 11 Super Bowls, matching the highest number of television play-by-play assignments for the event at that time. He then joined Prime Video when Amazon launched its exclusive Thursday Night Football package.
In 2026, Al Michaels remains in the booth rather than moving into retirement. Amazon and NBC Sports reporting confirm his return for another season. He has said he is taking it one year at a time rather than stage a formal farewell tour.
Wife Linda Stamaton and Their Family
Away from television, his longest partnership began before his national broadcasting career. He married Linda Anne Stamaton on August 27, 1966. The couple knew each other from high school in Los Angeles and celebrated 60 years of marriage in August 2026. They have two children, Steven and Jennifer.
Steven Michaels has built his own career in entertainment production. Jennifer Michaels Cohn has generally kept a lower public profile.
The broadcaster has spoken warmly about his marriage in interviews, describing Linda as one of the central constants in his life. Their relationship stands out in a career story otherwise defined by constant travel, changing networks, and demanding live television schedules.
Awards and Career Recognition
His honors come from several branches of sports and broadcasting. Arizona State describes its alumnus as a five-time Emmy Award winner and a five-time National Sportscaster of the Year. He also entered the Television Academy Hall of Fame.
In 2013, he received the Pete Rozelle Radio-Television Award from the Pro Football Hall of Fame. The award recognizes long-term contributions to professional football through radio and television.
Baseball honored him as well. He received the 2021 Ford C. Frick Award from the National Baseball Hall of Fame for major contributions to baseball broadcasting. That combination helps explain the scale of his résumé. He is closely associated with football, yet major institutions in both football and baseball have formally recognized his work.
Salary and Net Worth Estimates
Celebrity Net Worth estimates his fortune at $40 million. That outlet says he earned about $8 million a year at NBC before signing a three-year, $33 million deal with Amazon in March 2022 to call Thursday Night Football.
Other reporting puts the Amazon pay higher: The Athletic’s Andrew Marchand reported the original deal was worth in the neighborhood of $15 million per year. Since that deal ended he has worked on year-to-year terms, and the financial details of those arrangements, including 2026, have not been disclosed.
Net worth figures like these are outside estimates, not audited statements of his assets, since private contracts, investments and taxes are rarely disclosed in full.
What Is He Doing in 2026?
The short answer is simple: he is still calling football. Prime Video has confirmed the veteran announcer and Kirk Herbstreit as its broadcast team for the 2026 Thursday Night Football schedule. The season begins with Detroit visiting Buffalo on September 17.
He also returned to the booth during the 2026 preseason, showing that his working role remains active rather than ceremonial. Recent reporting continues to focus on his on-air observations, humor, and willingness to comment on changes in the sport. At 81, his continuing presence is notable because his national prime-time NFL run dates back 40 years to 1986.
Why His Broadcasting Legacy Is So Unusual
Many announcers become strongly identified with one league, one network, or one era. His career crosses all three boundaries. He called baseball before becoming a fixture of prime-time football. He covered Olympic history. He worked through the dominance of ABC, the rise of NBC’s Sunday football package, and the move toward streaming on Amazon.
The technology changed. The networks changed. The way Americans watch games changed. The central job did not change. Describe what is happening, understand when to speak, and know when the moment itself is enough.
That continuity may be the clearest explanation for why his voice remains familiar to multiple generations of U.S. sports fans.
The Lasting Voice of Big Games
Few sports broadcasters can point to a career that connects the Cincinnati Reds, the Miracle on Ice, a World Series earthquake, four decades of prime-time NFL television, and the streaming era. That range is what makes his story more than a list of famous assignments. His career tracks major changes in American sports media itself.
For now, there is no farewell chapter to write. He remains part of Prime Video’s 2026 football plans, still doing the job that first attracted him to stadiums as a young sports fan decades ago.
Conclusion
Al Michaels has built one of the most remarkable and enduring careers in American sports broadcasting. From his early work in baseball to the unforgettable “Miracle on Ice” call, the earthquake-interrupted 1989 World Series, decades of prime-time NFL football, and his continued role with Prime Video, his career has followed some of the biggest moments in modern American sports. His ability to combine preparation, timing, authority, and calm under pressure has helped make his voice recognizable to generations of viewers.
Frequently Asked Questions
He is 81 years old as of October 2026. He was born on November 12, 1944, in Brooklyn, New York, and turns 82 on November 12, 2026.
Yes. Prime Video confirmed that he is returning as the play-by-play announcer for its 2026 Thursday Night Football schedule alongside Kirk Herbstreit.
He has been married to Linda Anne Stamaton since August 27, 1966. They met while they were young and have two children together.
He and Linda have two children, Steven and Jennifer. Sports Business Journal also reports that the couple has four grandchildren.
Celebrity Net Worth estimates his fortune at $40 million, built largely on network and streaming broadcasting contracts.
His call at the end of the United States hockey team’s victory over the Soviet Union during the 1980 Winter Olympics is generally the moment most closely associated with his career.
