{"id":1028864,"date":"2026-08-28T05:13:20","date_gmt":"2026-08-28T05:13:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/1028864\/"},"modified":"2026-08-28T05:13:20","modified_gmt":"2026-08-28T05:13:20","slug":"old-al-michaels-stumbles-through-awkward-lake-america-trump-jab-during-thursday-night-football-broadcast","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/1028864\/","title":{"rendered":"Old Al Michaels stumbles through awkward Lake America-Trump jab during Thursday Night Football broadcast"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Thursday Night Football on Amazon Prime is already an endurance test. Between brutal offensive line play, endless commercials and whatever disaster the Cleveland Browns<\/a> are trotting out, sitting through four quarters takes serious grit.<\/p>\n

Throw in 81-year-old Al Michaels auditioning for late-night TV over an aerial shot of Cleveland, and watching him crash and burn in real time is pure banana land.<\/p>\n

Coming back from commercial during the Browns-Patriots game, Uncle Al dropped his cutting-edge political commentary on Donald Trump\u2019s<\/a> executive order renaming Lake Ontario to “Lake America” amid the ongoing U.S.-Canada trade war.<\/p>\n

TRUMP FLOATS RENAMING THE ATLANTIC AND PACIFIC OCEANS AFTER REBRANDING HISTORIC LAKE<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n

“That is Lake Erie. We think it is still called Lake Erie … We’re not quite sure at this point. But we’ll be by Lake something like Ontario or whatever it’s going to be called by the time we get to Buffalo. Anyway, you know what I’m talking about … Read the news.”<\/p>\n

WATCH<\/strong>:<\/p>\n

\"Al <\/p>\n

Dec 21, 2023; Inglewood, California, USA; Thursday Night Football Amazon Prime play-by-play announcer Al Michaels during the game between the Los Angeles Rams and the New Orleans Saints at SoFi Stadium. (Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports)<\/p>\n

Oof. You could physically feel the oxygen get sucked out of the booth.<\/p>\n

Kirk Herbstreit<\/a>, a guy who carefully tiptoes around political landmines so he can host “College GameDay” in peace, completely froze.<\/p>\n

Herbie sat there like a hostage before mumbling under his breath: “Some of us know …” Translation: Al, please. Do not drag me into your country club Resistance Twitter jokes.<\/p>\n

Al Michaels is a broadcasting legend. Miracle on Ice, manning the booth for 11 Super Bowls, all of it.<\/p>\n

But watching old Al try landing a smug Trump jab on live TV hits with the force of a wet paper towel. It\u2019s classic boomer-broadcaster energy, like your blue-haired cousin dropping political riffs at Thanksgiving.<\/p>\n

Maybe Uncle Al wasn’t feeling particularly patriotic with New England in town.<\/p>\n

DEBUT OF FORMER STEELERS COACH MIKE TOMLIN ON NBC SNF HAD HIGHLIGHT MOMENTS BUT WAS TOO CAREFUL AND REHEARSED<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n

\"Trump <\/p>\n

President Donald Trump holds up a signed executive order in the Oval Office of the White House, Thursday, Aug. 27, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo\/Manuel Balce Ceneta) (AP)<\/p>\n

\"Al <\/p>\n

NBC commentator Al Michaels on the field during an NFL game between the San Francisco 49ers and Green Bay Packers in Santa Clara, Calif., Sunday, Nov. 24, 2019. (Tom Hauck\/Getty Images)<\/p>\n

Or maybe he spent his pregame prep doom-scrolling political Twitter in his trailer.<\/p>\n

Imagine the Cleveland Browns dropping 27 first-half points and the worst part of the entire night is still Al Michaels forcing his anti-Trump tight-five on the audience. Absolute fever dream on Amazon Prime.<\/p>\n

“Read the news,” Al smugly instructed at the end of his bit.<\/p>\n

How about we stick to calling the game, Al?<\/p>\n

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n

If he attempts another political tightrope walk like that, Amazon<\/a> might just pull the plug and swap him out for A.I. Michaels for the rest of the season. At least the digital version stays on script.<\/p>\n

Leave the monologues to the late-night guys, and let Herbie live to see Saturday.<\/p>\n

Send us your thoughts: alejandro.avila@outkick.com<\/a> \/ Follow along on X: @alejandroaveela<\/a><\/p>\n

Alejandro Avila is a longtime writer at OutKick, living in Southern California.\u00a0<\/p>\n