Kirk Herbstreit was Amazon's first Thursday Night Football game analyst since acquiring the rights in 2022, and he'll stick in that role for the foreseeable future after reportedly agreeing to a contract extension. Amazon apparently has an exit plan for at least one notable name, however.
Los Angeles Rams coach Sean McVay is among a group of top targets Amazon is allowed to dump Herbstreit for, according to terms of Herbstreit's new deal obtained by The Athletic's Andrew Marchand.
Amazon reportedly went after McVay following his 2022 Super Bowl win, offering him a contract worth roughly $20 million annually. McVay decided to stick with Los Angeles, so Amazon moved on to Herbstreit.
Herbstreit is in the final year of his five-year deal with Amazon,
and his new contract is reportedly shorter than his last. The 57-year-old is also gearing up for a new deal with ESPN, where he's more prominently known as a college football analyst and College GameDay star.
Amazon's Herbstreit hire has long been puzzling considering he has no NFL experience. His connection with play-by-play man Al Michaels has since proven to be unmemorable relative to other national broadcasts.
Here's what we know about Michaels' future.
Is Al Michaels returning to Thursday Night Football in 2027?
It's unclear at this time. Michaels, 81, has been signing year-to-year contracts with Amazon following his three-year deal in 2022. The 81-year-old hasn't decided when he'll retire yet, but if it happens after this season, CBS' Ian Eagle is reportedly atop Amazon's list.
This article originally appeared on For The Win: Amazon seems ready to dump Kirk Herbstreit if Sean McVay becomes available
