While Al Michaels has found himself on the end of major fan criticism this season, while also getting hit with the news that he won’t be involved in NBC’s playoff coverage, Chris Collinsworth views him as a mentor.
Collinsworth took up a few media jobs before joining NBC in 2009 and then worked alongside Michaels for 15 years, with the pair calling ‘Sunday Night Football’ games together.
You can learn a lot from someone in 15 years but Collinsworth reckons gaining fans’ trust is the biggest takeaway from his experience with the booth legend.
In an interview with Barrett Sports Media released Friday, Collinsworth explained how he mastered the temperament and tone of calling games for a national audience thanks primarily to Michaels’ guidance.
“I think I learned that you don’t have to be mean-spirited, but you’ve got to be honest, and you’ve got to be willing to say what others may not feel comfortable saying because your relationship isn’t really with the players and coaches anymore, it’s with the audience,” he said in an interview with Barrett Sports Media’s Derek Futterman.
“It’s with the people that are watching on television, and you have to earn their trust that whether it’s something positive or negative that you’re saying, it’s what you honestly believe.”
“They want to take three hours and watch a football game and not have the announcer wear them out [or] feel like the announcer’s a shill for players and coaches in the league,” he added. “but know that I’ve done my homework and hopefully it’s a little bit fun [and] a little bit relaxing.”
Collinsworth worked as part of studio shows for NBC, CBS, and HBO before covering ‘SNF’ for the former. He also worked in radio and television while still playing.
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The former Bengals quarterback has since landed a new partner in the booth, with Mike Tirico now his partner in crime. Tirico, who was formerly employed by ESPN, is contracted for two more seasons with NBC following 2023.
