Where is Al Michaels on Sunday Night Football?

NFL fans tuning into Sunday Night Football are accustomed to hearing Al Michaels on the broadcast but he wasn’t in the booth for Buccaneers-Saints.

Whether or not we like to admit or not, NFL fans are creatures of habit, especially so on Sundays. So when something gets changed or is out of the ordinary, fans are definitely quick to notice. Such was the case with Al Michaels on Sunday Night Football.

As the matchup between the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and New Orleans Saints kicked off on Sunday night, fans were a bit surprised to hear Cris Collinsworth not paired with Michaels but, rather, with Mike Tirico in the booth with him.

That had fans asking what happened to Michaels and why wasn’t he in the broadcast booth for a high-profile NFC South matchup with Tom Brady involved.

Where is Al Michaels on Sunday Night Football?

If you’re concerned about Al Michaels, all indications are that the legendary broadcaster is not ill or unwell by any means. Instead, after 14 weeks and with the playoffs looming, he apparently is just getting the week off.

And to be honest, he deserves it. These national broadcasters work brutal schedules and, with the extra week in the regular season, that makes it more rigorous.

What’s interesting, though, is that NBC saw the return of Michelle Tafoya on the sidelines this offseason, which is something else fans had been looking for.

There are also rumors buzzing that Michaels could be leaving Sunday Night Football after this season, but that has not happened yet. Again, the Bucs-Saints game was just a night off for the longtime star on the call. And as such, he’ll be back soon enough.