Al Michaels Compares Calling Amazon's Stinky NFL Thursday Night Package To Selling Used Cars

For months we've all opined how miserable poor Al Michaels must've been this year calling stinky Thursday Night Football games for Amazon Prime.

Now, we all have a little vindication, because it's coming straight from the horse's mouth!

Michaels, who NBC thankfully rescued to call Saturday's Chargers-Jags playoff game, said calling TNF games this past season was like trying to essentially sell a lemon.

"From the Amazon people, nothing but support. I think they understood what this was," Michaels told The Athletic this week. "We’re making the most of it. I mean, you just can’t oversell something. Do you want me to sell you a 20-year-old Mazda? That’s what you’re asking me to do.

"I can’t sell you a used car. I’ve kind of gone down that road a little bit in games that have been bad in the past. But this game was horrifically bad. What were you supposed to do at that point? And away I went."

Al Michaels deserved so much better this season. (Photo by Michael Loccisano/Getty Images for Amazon)

Al Michaels checks out, surprises Kirk Herbstreit

The "game" Al is referring to, of course, was that dreadful Colts-Broncos showdown back in Week 5. You know, the one that went all the way to overtime without anyone crossing the goal line?

That was just one of several clunkers Michaels and partner Kirk Herbstreit were subjected to this season. Don't forget, we also had to sit through an Eagles-Texans game, Zach Wilson vs. the Jags, Commanders-Bears and Falcons-Panthers.

My God. Frankly, 78-year-old Al Michaels deserves a damn Emmy.

Anyway, he obviously didn't hold back during these horrible games, and that caught Herbie by surprise.

"I think I’m to the point in my life and career, having watched sports since I was 6 years old, I feel what the crowd feels," Michaels continued. "The Denver-Indianapolis game (in) Week 4 was a dreadful game. No other way to describe it. No touchdowns.

"In fact, at one point during the game, I said to Kirk, 'Is it possible this game could be so bad that it’s actually good?' He’d never heard that from a partner and went, 'No!'"

Herbstreit sitting next to a clearly checked out Al Michaels on Thursdays and then Pat McAfee every Saturday must have been a WILD experience for him. What a swing of emotions.

Luckily, Michaels will actually get to call a good game Saturday when he returns to the NBC booth thanks to his "emeritus deal" that allows him to call certain events for the company over the next few years.

Sadly, Al won't be reunited with longtime partner Cris 'Here's a Guy' Collinsworth, but at least he'll finally get to see what a good football game looks like for the first time in a year.

At 78, our man deserves that.