Al Michaels had a quick response after Kirk Herbstreit brought up analytics

SportsKirk Herbstreit made one comment. His TNF partner had the perfect comebackAl Michaels and Kirk Herbstreit share the broadcast booth for Amazon Prime Video’s Thursday Night Football coverage. Michaels had a sharp response to Herbstreit during the Packers’ win over the Panthers. (AP Photo/Jeffrey Phelps)AP Photo/Jeffrey PhelpsBroadcasting veteran Al Michaels delivered a swift, classic one-liner to booth partner Kirk Herbstreit after being playfully blamed for the NFL’s obsession with modern analytics during Thursday Night Football, according to sports media reporting by Awful Announcing.The lighthearted yet sharp exchange unfolded during the Green Bay Packers’ October 30 matchup against the Carolina Panthers, while the duo debated whether Green Bay should attempt a risky 59-yard field goal with kicker Trey Smack or pin Carolina deep, as captured by Pro Football Network.When Herbstreit conceded that a 59-yard field goal attempt might be overly risky—yet suggested Michaels himself helped foster the analytics-driven football environment that pushes coaches toward those long kicks—Michaels immediately shut down the notion, firing back live on air with: “That I’ve created? Get out of town, clown.” The quick-witted banter offered a viral highlight for the 81-year-old legendary play-by-play announcer, who has navigated ongoing internet commentary regarding his broadcast energy throughout the season.Green Bay ultimately sidestepped the analytics debate on a subsequent late-game fourth down, electing to punt with 30 seconds remaining to seal a 27-19 victory over the Panthers and move to 5-3 on the season, according to the team’s official recap on Packers.com.Chris Pugh covers trending news and national breaking stories, focusing on the moments, conversations, and cultural flashpoints shaping the national news cycle. Chris worked as a digital reporter for...This article was produced with assistance from AI tools and reviewed by AL.com staff.