Al Michaels’s Awkward Description of Taylor Swift Had NFL Fans Howling

Al Michaels is an American treasure, one of the great sportscasters of our time.

From his iconic call of the Miracle on Ice at the 1980 Winter Olympics to his current work on Amazon Prime Video’s Thursday Night Football, he’s been part of the soundtrack of so many sports fans’ lives.

Michaels is a master of his craft who seldom is at a loss for words, but that seemed to be the case briefly Thursday night.

Initially, Michaels seemed reluctant to discuss the presence of Taylor Swift during Amazon’s broadcast of the Broncos-Chiefs game. Eventually, midway through the fourth quarter, Michaels carefully searched for the right words to accurately describe the relationship between the pop star and Kansas City tight end Travis Kelce.

Here’s what he arrived on:

"Looking on, is... [Travis Kelce's]... at the moment... his good buddy and girlfriend."- Al Michaels on Taylor Swift pic.twitter.com/2kxkvf3cxf
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) October 13, 2023

“Looking on, is … his … at the moment … his good buddy and girlfriend.”

Awkward.

NFL fans, pundits and Swifties alike had jokes:

Al Michaels just said Taylor Swift is Travis Kelce’s “good buddy and girlfriend” and that’s how all gfs should be referred to from now on.
— Nicole Menner (@NicoleMenner) October 13, 2023

“his girlfriend, his good buddy, taylor swift is here” OMG I LOVE THIS NFL COMMENTATOR pic.twitter.com/5M0SYwDVTh
— marg (taylor’s version) (@BetttysCardigan) October 13, 2023

You could hear Al Michaels's brain working there.

("There's Travis Kelce's good buddy.......ah, fuck it, I'm just going to say girlfriend.")
— Richard Deitsch (@richarddeitsch) October 13, 2023

his good buddy and girlfriend taylor swift 💀 pic.twitter.com/XCQm4BDhqt
— mandi (taylor's version) (@visioninrose) October 13, 2023

“His good buddy and girlfriend, Taylor Swift,” -Al Michaels

Girlfriends love being called “good buddies” 😂😂
— Ricardo Arguello (@RicardoDelian) October 13, 2023

Al Michaels just called Taylor Swift Travis Kelce's "Good buddy and girlfriend" - and I feel like we will see that on a t-shirt by tomorrow morning.
— Kaitlin Urka (@kaitlinurka) October 13, 2023

"His good buddy...and girlfriend."

Please don't make Al talk about this anymore. 😂
— Jeremy Kawika (@JeremyKawika) October 13, 2023

not the announcers saying “his girlfriend, his good buddy, taylor swift is here” SHAJSKSJDKSKSK
— a. (@reputacult) October 13, 2023

"Well looking on is, at the moment, his good buddy and girlfriend Taylor Swift!" CAN YOU HEAR MY SCREAMS pic.twitter.com/kYAHqYVWys
— Tiffani 🤎 (@LavenderKelce) October 13, 2023