Is Taylor Swift the reason behind Al Michaels being excluded from the NFL Playoffs?

Reports from the New York Post on Tuesday suggest that NBC has opted for Noah Eagle as the play-by-play announcer for its No. 2 NFL playoff broadcast crew in January, sidelining the esteemed Al Michaels.

The network’s premier “Sunday Night Football” duo, Mike Tirico and Cris Collinsworth, will handle three out of the four playoff broadcasts, including one on Peacock. Michaels, however, was not brought back for the fourth game, with NBC assigning the college football broadcast team of Eagle and Todd Blackledge, alongside sideline reporter Kathryn Tappen.

NBC Sports Vice President Greg Hughes reportedly confirmed these assignments to the New York Post. Michaels, 79, who earns a reported $1 million per game in an agreement with Amazon, allowing him to take on NBC assignments under his “emeritus” label, has been associated with speculation regarding his stance on Taylor Swift’s coverage during broadcasts.

According to inside sources, Michaels’ removal from NBC’s playoff coverage could be linked to his perspective on featuring Taylor Swift. He has emphasized the importance of moderation, asserting that the primary focus should be on the football game, not diverting attention to extraneous elements. Michaels, a fixture in prime-time NFL coverage since 1986, first on “Monday Night Football” and later on “Sunday Night Football” from 2006 alongside John Madden until the 2021 season, currently calls Thursday night games streamed on Amazon Prime Video alongside analyst Kirk Herbstreit.

The decision to prioritize Taylor Swift over Al Michaels in the NFL coverage lineup is raising eyebrows, with some considering it a surprising and unconventional move.

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