VIDEO: Al Michaels Has Strange Moment During 49ers-Rams Game

Prime Video’s Thursday Night Football broadcast went off the rails at a few points due to lead play-by-play announcer Al Michaels’ apparent confusion about what was happening on the field.

The first moment of confusion occurred in the very first quarter when San Francisco’s Mac Jones completed a pass to DeMarcus Robinson on 3rd & 5. A flag was thrown on the play in the area where holding is commonly called.

However, the referee announced that the penalty was actually a 15-yard roughing the passer call on the Rams. The officials then began moving the ball 15 yards from where Robinson was marked out, all the way up to the 41-yard line. Despite the official’s announcement, Michaels seemed bewildered by this.

“This one is coming back,” Michaels said, before the referee announced the penalty. “Hang on a second, the 49ers are going back up to the 41-yard line. Did they, by replay assist, declare that was legal? They marked him after the catch is what they did.”

Michaels’s broadcast partner, Kirk Herbstreit, could be heard politely trying to interject and explain the situation, but Michaels eventually caught up to live game action and moved on.

That was not the only or even the worst part of the legendary broadcaster’s night, however.

In a less serious instance, Michaels called 49ers tight end Connor McKivitz by the wrong name, instead calling him Colton McKivitz.

However, a couple of real doozies occurred late in the game.

First, with just over a minute to go and Los Angeles trailing by 3, the Rams tried to punch it in on a 1st & goal with running back Kyren Williams, only to have Williams get punched in the face, lose the ball, and have San Francisco recover it.

But Michaels again seemed befuddled and very slow to react to what was a tremendously important play in the game.

Then, in the overtime period, on a crucial 4th & 1 while trailing 26-23, the Rams once again ran Williams into the teeth of the 49er defense, only to have him stopped. However, for some reason, Michaels said that Williams fumbled on the play. Which he had not, he had just been tackled short of the line-to-gain.

Al Michaels is a broadcast legend and has called some of the most iconic moments in sports history, but this was not a good look.