My Wish to Watch NFL Games in the Future is Without Announcers

Like many people, I thoroughly enjoyed watching Super Bowl LVI. Like every other postseason game, the Rams and Bengals put on a great show and the contest was not decided until the final minute of play. As good as the game was, I feel like we have the ability to enjoy live broadcasts with more technology now than ever before. That should include the option of games without announcers.

Let me first preface the statement above by saying that Al Michaels is one of greatest all-time play by play broadcasters in the history of sports. I remember first watching him in the early 1980s when he called Monday Night Baseball on ABC and his voice is iconic for anyone who enjoys sports broadcasting. However, this has absolutely nothing to do with Michaels, or Joe Buck, Jim Nance, Ian Eagle and all of the terrific people who call a football game. They do an outstanding job of calling the games, while analysts like Tony Romo, Troy Aikman, Chris Collinsworth and so many more complement them with their experience from playing the game.

Instead, this has everything to do with the quality of broadcast that we currently receive. Thanks to high definition televisions, the picture that we get to enjoy is as life-like as being on the field of play. Considering football is a sport with hard hitting, tons of trash talking, and filled with spectacular highlight-reel plays, how great would it be if we could spend the entire game listening to all of the natural sound from the field of play?

Ever since NFL Films mic'd up Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker Bill Saul in 1967, thousands of players have been given similar treatment over the last 55 years. Thanks to parabolic microphones in addition to the wireless devices that some players wear during games, the audio experience of being on the field during an NFL game would be something that I would love to watch.

This idea has been done before, but it was done 32 years ago as an experiment by then NBC Sports executive producer Dan Ohlmeyer. The Jets beat the Dolphins that day, and the reaction was mixed. Now, the audio and video experience would be so life like, that every viewer would feel like they are on the field with the players, coaches, and officials. There is already talk that Amazon is considering this when they start to broadcast NFL games beginning next year. I hope it comes to fruition, so fans would receive the most unique perspective when watching professional football.