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Most people who’ve earned a spot in the broadcast booth at an NFL game have mastered the art of calling football to the point where they make their job seem fairly effortless. As a result, it’s easy to underestimate just how fast-paced and stressful that particular line of work can be.
You typically don’t have too much time to take a breath when you’re tasked with donning the headset that will relay your words to millions of viewers around the world. With that said, plenty of veteran commentators have figured out some ways to make the experience as enjoyable as possible.
A couple of years ago, Joe Buck admitted he routinely nursed a beer while calling MLB games and revealed he and Troy Aikman occasionally broke out the tequila while covering NFL contests for Fox (he eventually had to clarify he never imbibed to the point of inebriation but rather use the booze as a subtle reminder to not take things too seriously).
However, it turns out he’s not the only notable football broadcaster who’s carved out some time to enjoy himself on the job.
That revelation has come to light courtesy of Kirk Herbstreit, who was kind enough to shed some light on rumors surrounding Al Michaels’ dining habits during a recent episode of Pardon My Take.
While Big Cat and PFT Commentator joked they may or may not have fueled the fire by joking about Michaels treating himself to a lavish meal at halftime, Herbstreit relayed what he’d personally witnessed while confirming the broadcasting legend (who apparently refuses to eat a single vegetable) does not mess around when it comes to fueling up for the second half.
Im so happy Kirk confirmed this story on todays @PardonMyTake. Al Michaels is the best pic.twitter.com/BTfjDhE5IL
— Big Cat (@BarstoolBigCat) January 6, 2023
Here’s what the former Ohio State QB had to say via Barstool:
“I work on a Saturday night show. When halftime comes, they might throw you a bag of Cheez-It or maybe a sandwich from a local place downstairs. That’s what I’m used to.
[With Michaels], we get to halftime, he’s got steak, shrimp—he doesn’t touch the mashed potatoes—and they’ve got like real silverware and a plate.
You only have eight minutes in halftime in the NFL, but as soon as halftime’s over, headphones are off, back behind the screen, and they’ve got a table set, and it’s like fine dining for eight minutes; it’s just he’s eating and talking.
It blew me away. I was not expecting that.”
What a legend.