Al Michaels on Thursday Night Football on Dec. 13, 2024. Al Michaels on Thursday Night Football on Dec. 13, 2024. (Prime Video.)

If you only watched highlights from the Los Angeles Rams and San Francisco 49ers Thursday Night Football matchup, you’re probably confused by one Al Michaels comment.

The NFL dropped a highlight on social media of Matthew Stafford completing a 51-yard pass to Puka Nacua for the Rams in the fourth quarter of their 12-6 win over the 49ers.


“Rams start this drive from the 33,” Michaels says at the start of the clip. “And Private Parts. Stafford going deep downfield and he’s got Nacua!”

Uh…What? Private parts? While millions of fans watched the Thursday Night Football broadcast on Amazon Prime Video, there were undoubtedly plenty of people who skipped the game and woke up Friday morning looking for highlights. Those people have no idea why Michaels blurted “private parts” during his call of this 51-yard completion. Allow us to explain.

Prior to the start of that drive, Michaels was tasked with promoting Prime Video’s catalog of holiday movies, which included Will Ferrell’s Elf.

“Tell me you like Elf,” Kirk Herbstreit said to Michaels. “Do you like Elf?”

“Best movie I ever saw,” Michaels admitted. “Next to Gone with the Wind. Rams start this drive from the 33. And Private Parts.”

Aha. It wasn’t Stafford’s private parts Michaels was referring to, it’s Howard Stern’s Private Parts. Not only is Private Parts a great movie, but Michaels and Stern have long shared an affinity for each other. How about that top-three for Michaels though? Does anyone have a more wide-ranging top-three than Elf, Gone with the Wind and Private Parts?

[NFL]

About Brandon Contes

Brandon Contes is a staff writer for Awful Announcing and The Comeback. He previously helped carve the sports vertical for Mediaite and spent more than three years with Barrett Sports Media. Send tips/comments/complaints to bcontes@thecomeback.com