During the AFC’s Lamar Hunt Trophy presentation on Sunday in Baltimore, Andy Reid shared with Jim Nantz that he believed he was the best play-by-play announcer in the business. However, a few hours later, Michael Strahan didn’t seem to receive those same sentiments on the other side of the country.
Strahan, who was filling in for an ill Terry Bradshaw, dropped the ball several times as he emceed the NFC Championship trophy presentation. It was the responsibility of Joe Montana to present the George Halas Trophy to San Francisco 49ers CEO Jed York on behalf of the NFL and say a few remarks — much like Chiefs legend Jan Stenerud did earlier in the day. While Montana handed off the trophy to York, Strahan didn’t allow the 49ers legend and Hall of Fame quarterback to get in a word during the trophy presentation.
That wasn’t the only weird part.
Although the euphoria of the 49ers’ comeback wins over the Detroit Lions, Strahan’s postgame performance was marked by two missteps: an erroneous score cited to head coach Kyle Shanahan and an overused “unfinished business” mantra delivered to every player he interviewed. On that note, Strahan also asked Christian McCaffrey about “signing with the 49ers just for this moment.”
Not exactly.
McCaffrey was traded to the 49ers during the 2022 NFL season in exchange for a second, third, and fourth-round pick in the 2023 NFL Draft and a fifth-round pick in the 2024 NFL Draft. Two years before being traded, McCaffrey signed a four-year, $64 million contract extension with the Carolina Panthers through the 2025 season, making him the highest-paid running back in NFL history at the time,
The 49ers inherited that contract. McCaffrey didn’t choose to sign with San Francisco, as he’s never hit free agency in his NFL career.
Strahan’s bizarre errors didn’t go unnoticed.
Strahan @michaelstrahan totally ignored Montana. Didnt let the guy present the trophy to the owner. Directed him like a puppet to pass the trophy.
— SpawtsChat (@SpawtsChat) January 29, 2024
So far @michaelstrahan got the score at halftime wrong, he told Shanahan he was down 17 nothing at the half, then he said Christian McCaffrey signed with the 49ers just to go to the Super bowl. He was traded to the 49ers #49ersVsLions #49ers
— David Brody (@DavidBrody) January 29, 2024
That was Michael Strahan's first trophy presentation. That is usually Terry Bradshaw's job. It showed. Joe Montana was supposed to say a few words and present the George Halas Trophy to Jed York. Instead we got whatever that was.
— Arash Markazi (@ArashMarkazi) January 29, 2024
@michaelstrahan screwed up our presentation! Left @JoeMontana mute! Picked the Lions to beat us and no @19problemz Never Again please. @Niners wasn’t our best but Super Bowl here we come! BTW Strahan did you say we had zero points at half???? Go Niners!
— ®nancy l. jones❤️ (@nancyljones1) January 29, 2024
These moments are meant to celebrate the players and coaches, and the host must be knowledgeable and allow the stars to shine. While Strahan’s performance was disappointing, he was stepping in for Bradshaw in a pinch; it happens. We shouldn’t expect him to take the reigns from Bradshaw once the 75-year-old eventually steps away from his role at Fox.
[NY Post]
About Sam Neumann
Since the beginning of 2023, Sam has been a staff writer for Awful Announcing and The Comeback. A 2021 graduate of Temple University, Sam is a Charlotte native, who currently calls Greenville, South Carolina his home. He also has a love/hate relationship with the New York Mets and Jets.