TL;DR
Get sports gear delivered free with Prime
- Fast, free delivery on millions of items
- Prime Video, Amazon Music and more included
- Member-only deals all year
Al Michaels mistakenly said during the Jaguars-Ravens Week 9 broadcast that Trevor Lawrence was the No. 1 draft pick in 2001; Jacksonville selected him in 2021. The error drew criticism on social media, including calls from some viewers for Michaels to retire, but the report does not establish broader audience reaction or any change to his broadcasting role.
Al Michaels misstated Trevor Lawrence’s draft year during the Week 9 Thursday Night Football broadcast of Jacksonville’s game against Baltimore, saying the Jaguars quarterback was the No. 1 overall pick in 2001. Jacksonville selected Lawrence in 2021, and the error prompted some fans on social media to criticize Michaels and call for his retirement.
As reported by EssentiallySports, Michaels was discussing Lawrence’s career during the game when he said: “Back in 2001, Trevor Lawrence was your number one overall draft pick.” The Jaguars chose Lawrence first overall in the 2021 NFL Draft. The source says Lawrence was in his sixth NFL season at the time of the broadcast; it also gives his birth date as October 6, 1999, meaning he was not yet two when the 2001 draft took place.
Michaels also said Lawrence’s game against the Colts the previous week was his 15th career game with at least three touchdown passes, the most in Jaguars history. The report attributes that milestone to StatMuse and says Lawrence reached it in Week 8, surpassing Blake Bortles. The statistical point and the incorrect draft year are separate parts of the broadcast: the source identifies the draft-year reference as the error.
Some viewers responded on X with criticism and calls for Michaels to retire. One fan wrote, “he’s so washed plz retire …and enjoy the rest of your life legend,” while another said he was “too old to be calling games.” The report also says Michaels appeared to imply that Ravens kicker Jake Moody played for the Green Bay Packers during the 2025 season. It states that Moody has never played for Green Bay, but does not provide the exact broadcast wording for that remark.
A Broadcast Mistake, a Career Debate
The incident matters because live commentary reaches a large audience, and errors about a player’s basic career history can distract from the game and invite questions about accuracy. In this case, the draft-year mistake was particularly conspicuous: Lawrence was born in 1999 and entered the NFL in 2021, not 2001.
The criticism also touches on Michaels’ long career and continued role as a prominent play-by-play broadcaster. Still, the source documents individual social-media reactions, not a measured audience response or a decision by Prime Video or the broadcaster about his future. Calls for retirement are opinions from some fans, not evidence that Michaels is leaving the job or that his employer is reviewing his position.
Products Worth Considering
Garmin Forerunner 970 GPS Running Smartwatch Bundle, Soft Gold
YETI Tundra 105 Cooler
YETI Roadie 15 Hard Cooler
As an affiliate, we earn on qualifying purchases.
Lawrence’s Draft and Career Record
Jacksonville selected Lawrence with the No. 1 overall pick in 2021, after his college career at Clemson. The 2001 date in Michaels’ on-air remark was therefore off by 20 years. The source notes that Lawrence was born on October 6, 1999, underscoring the discrepancy.
The broadcast discussion included a separate career statistic: Lawrence’s 15th game with three or more touchdown passes, which the report says came against Indianapolis in Week 8. According to the source’s citation of StatMuse, that moved him ahead of Blake Bortles for the franchise record. The material provided does not identify the exact date of the Week 9 Jaguars-Ravens game or supply a full transcript of Michaels’ comments.
““Back in 2001, Trevor Lawrence was your number one overall draft pick.””
— Al Michaels, during the Week 9 broadcast, as quoted by EssentiallySports
Reach of the Backlash Remains Unknown
The available report does not establish how many viewers complained, whether the reaction extended beyond the cited posts, or whether Prime Video or Michaels has responded. It also does not say that the network is considering a change to its broadcast team. The description of the Jake Moody remark is not accompanied by a direct quotation or a clip in the supplied material.
The precise date of the game is not included in the source excerpt. The key facts available are the incorrect 2001 reference, Lawrence’s 2021 draft selection, and the cited social-media reactions; broader claims about Michaels’ performance or future would require additional evidence.
No Career Change Reported
The source reports no announced response from Michaels, Prime Video, the NFL, or the Jaguars, and identifies no change to Michaels’ broadcasting schedule. For now, the development is limited to the broadcast error and the online reaction described by EssentiallySports. Any decision about his role, or further comment from the parties involved, remains unreported.
Key Questions
What was Al Michaels’ mistake?
He said Trevor Lawrence was the No. 1 overall draft pick in 2001. Jacksonville selected Lawrence first overall in the 2021 NFL Draft.
What career statistic was Michaels discussing?
He said Lawrence had recorded his 15th game with at least three touchdown passes against the Colts the previous week. The report attributes the franchise-record claim to StatMuse and says Lawrence passed Blake Bortles.
Did fans call for Michaels to retire?
Yes. EssentiallySports quoted several social-media users criticizing him and calling for retirement. Those posts show the views of individual fans, not a formal decision by Prime Video or a broad measure of audience opinion.
Has Michaels or Prime Video announced a change?
The supplied report does not mention a response from Michaels or Prime Video, or any change to his broadcasting role.
Source: essentiallysports.com
