Super Bowl announcers become part of story this year

The game has become so impossibly big that even during a pandemic year, the Super Bowl announcers get their own news conference.

Usually, it’s about their thoughts regarding the two teams, their quarterbacks, the coaches. How they plan to cover the story.

This year, most of the questions were about becoming part of the story.

One question was even struck from the record by NBC, whose turn it is to broadcast this year’s game.

It was about this possibility/probability of this being the last Super Bowl that Al Michaels will call for the network.

It will be Michaels’ 11th Super Bowl, tying him with Pat Summerall for most ever among play-by-play men. He becomes a free agent after Sunday’s final whistle, though there’s a chance he could be back with NBC.

But apparently the negotiations aren’t going that well, or an inquiry about Michaels’ future wouldn’t have been redacted from the transcript as if it were a Watergate tape.

Not finished yet

“There’s a lot to reflect on, but one thing I have done this year with my contract ending at the end of the Super Bowl … I did not for one moment want to be distracted,” Michaels, still in demand at age 77, said. “I know there are chances to continue. I’ll assess that when this is over.

“I don’t know what the future may hold. But after this game is over, I’ve got some very close friends, guys who really understand the business inside out, and we’ll talk about what’s out there, what I might want to do. But I do know one thing — I love what I do, feel great, and I’m not ready for any rocking chair or golf.”

If only Tom Brady would have been so forthcoming when asked if he would be retiring anytime soon.

There’s also a story line regarding Michaels’ sidekick in the booth.

It was noted by Super Bowl director Drew Esocoff that Cris Collinsworth has “clawed his way back” to the Super Bowl after helping lead Cincinnati to it twice — the Bengals’ only two appearances on the big stage — in 1981 and ’88 when he was a rangy pass receiver with deceptive speed.

“I hadn’t really thought about clawing my way back for the last 33 years, but you’ve been clawing your way back longer than I have,” said Collinsworth, who still lives on the Kentucky side of the Ohio River, when Michaels said he called Reds games in the early 1970s — including the 1972 World Series when they lost to the A’s in seven games.

”I’m obviously excited. I’m human. It’s going to be fun. I would have bought a ticket to go watch this game. I just happened to get the best seat in the house and sit next to my partner, and what could be better?”

Tafoya calling it quits

Well, this could be better.

After it was mentioned the Super Bowl would definitely be the last game of sideline reporter Michele Tafoya’s broadcasting career, Michaels and Collinsworth interrupted the questions and answers with poignant tributes.

Michaels said they met in 2003 when Yao Ming was a rookie and they drew the short straw for a Rockets-Lakers game when they could have been spending Christmas Day with their families. “Just a joy to work with and, sis, we’re going to miss you.”

Collinsworth added to the sibling analogy. “I never had a sister, but if you ever had the sister that was in the room with a roomful of boys that could more than hold their own — and in many ways, lead that roomful of boys — that’s who we had, and have, with Michele Tafoya.”

There was a pregnant pause when it was Tafoya’s turn to comment. She tried to hold her emotions in check.

“I’m just so glad this is not on a Zoom where people can see me right now,” she said in a halting voice. “That’s all I’ve got to say.”

Contact Ron Kantowski at rkantowski@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0352. Follow @ronkantowski on Twitter.