A mainstay in the world of college football broadcasting is moving up to the next level.
Kirk Herbstreit will finally test out his analytical skills in the NFL, joining Al Michaels on Amazon Prime’s “Thursday Night Football” broadcast. He will add his new Thursday night gig onto his already full schedule, which includes co-hosting ESPN’s “College GameDay” and calling ABC’s “Saturday Night Football” alongside Chris Fowler.
Herbstreit’s falls, it appears, will be very busy for the foreseeable future.
The former Ohio State quarterback has built a reputation over several years as one of the most respected and knowledgeable sportscasters in college football. His stature in that sphere made him an obvious choice for Amazon to target for its recently acquired “TNF” broadcasts. It immediately gained more credibility with him and Michaels on board.
MORE: Why Kirk Herbstreit’s reported Amazon deal won’t impact ESPN’s college coverage
Attentive NFL viewers will know this is not Herbstreit’s first time calling games at the NFL level, however. He first called a “Monday Night Football” game with Fowler in 2018, then teamed up again with him in 2022 for a Saturday night NFL doubleheader.
Herbstreit received rave reviews for his performance in the booth in those games, and likely will enjoy similar results alongside Michaels. With that, The Sporting News looks at why Herbstreit decided to call NFL games, and how he will juggle those duties alongside his already-existing college football slate:
Why is Kirk Herbstreit calling NFL games?
Herbstreit is calling NFL games because his contract with ESPN allows him to and, presumably, it will not interfere with his ability to work on “GameDay” or “Saturday Night Football.”
Per Andrew Marchand of The New York Post, Herbstreit has long had a desire to call NFL games, reportedly believing he and Fowler would eventually call ESPN’s “Monday Night Football” broadcasts and, beyond that, eventually move to the Super Bowl.
MORE: NFL on Amazon, explained: A complete guide to watching ‘Thursday Night Football’ broadcasts in 2022
However, ESPN’s acquisition of Troy Aikman to call “MNF” games did two things: It not only nixed Herbstreit’s hope that he would work that broadcast, but also took a target off Amazon’s board for its “TNF” broadcast.
Marchand reports that Michaels’ first choice to join him in the booth was Cris Collinsworth. Without him, Amazon attempted to acquire Aikman and, surprisingly, defending Super Bowl-winning coach Sean McVay. Finally, Herbstreit got a call to join Michaels inside the booth.
Per Marchand, Herbstreit will be in the neighborhood of the $18 million ESPN offered Aikman when considering both his ESPN and Amazon contracts (the latter of which is reportedly $10 million-plus annually). Moreover, Herbstreit signed a three-year extension with ESPN, meaning he will continue to work “GameDay” and “Saturday Night Football” for the foreseeable future.
MORE: Schedule of ‘TNF’ games in 2022
Early indications suggest Herbstreit and Michaels, who have yet to work a full season together professionally, already have a notable chemistry in the broadcast booth:
🎙 Al Michaels (pbp) with @KirkHerbstreit (analyst) on debut of Amazon Prime Video Thursday Night Football package #NFL #TNF #ThursdayNightFootball pic.twitter.com/L4azcSWJjb
— Announcer Schedules (@announcerskeds) August 26, 2022
Of course, Herbstreit acknowledged to the Post that his falls and winters are going to be hectic.
“I’m not going to lie, it’s going to be monumental,” Herbstreit said. “For four months, I’m not really going to have any days off.”
That said, the longtime announcer is looking forward to giving “TNF” fans an experience on par with that of the other premier broadcasts in football:
“It’s going to be an incredible broadcast,” Herbstreit said, “and I’m going to do everything I can to hold up my end of the bargain and try to make it one of the best booths in television.”
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