Al Michaels received plenty of attention from NFL fans during Friday night’s broadcast of the game between the Kansas City Chiefs and Las Vegas Raiders. While he earned praise for a lighthearted joke about officiating, it wasn’t the only comment that got people talking.
In the first quarter of the Chiefs-Raiders matchup, Michaels made a reference to Kansas City’s use of two tight ends, Noah Gray and Travis Kelce. He drew a comparison to another iconic tight end duo in NFL history: Rob Gronkowski and Aaron Hernandez, who played together for the New England Patriots.
“Mahomes, all the way to the end zone and incomplete. That time intended for Noah Gray. Talking about him, the other tight end. You know, Kirk [Herbstreit], I’m thinking back to using the two tight ends, it reminds me of when Bill Belichick had [Rob] Gronkowski and Aaron Hernandez. And he kind of changed everything, running the offense through those two guys about a decade ago,” Michaels remarked during the broadcast.
The mention of Aaron Hernandez, a former NFL star who was later arrested and charged for the 2013 murder of Odin Lloyd, naturally caused some viewers to pause. Hernandez’s life ended in tragedy when he was found dead in his jail cell in April 2017. Given the complicated and dark legacy surrounding Hernandez, his name is often a touchy subject.
The response to Michaels’ comment was divided. Some fans were taken aback by the mention, while others felt it was an appropriate and relevant observation, given the context of football strategy.
“So what, are they never supposed to mention that offensive scheme again? He’s right,” one fan commented, defending Michaels’ reference to the effective tight end tandem that helped the Patriots dominate a decade ago.
Another fan responded, “Perfectly accurate analysis. While we’re at it, OJ Simpson went to six Pro Bowls and was All-Pro four times and still has records that will likely never be broken. It’s just hard facts about the player, not the person.”
A third viewer shared their thoughts, saying, “Just an observation about how the Patriots ran a two tight end offense. Not an endorsement of AH as a human being.”
RELATED: Al Michaels Reveals Source of Persistent Clanging Noise on ‘TNF’
The mixed reactions highlight the challenge of discussing figures like Hernandez, who had undeniable talent on the football field but left a deeply troubled legacy off of it. Al Michaels’ comment was intended to focus solely on the football aspect—the effectiveness of utilizing two athletic tight ends in an offensive scheme.
However, the mere mention of Hernandez inevitably brings to mind the tragic and criminal aspects of his life.
As much as some people would prefer to avoid mentioning Hernandez, it is impossible to erase his impact on the NFL and the innovative offensive schemes that the Patriots employed during his time with the team.
The Hernandez-Gronkowski tandem was instrumental in the Patriots’ offensive success during their peak years, and Michaels’ comparison was rooted in the historical context of the game.
In the end, it seems Michaels’ comment was more about acknowledging the legacy of a successful football strategy than endorsing or excusing Hernandez’s actions off the field. It raises the question: Can we separate the player from the person when discussing their impact on the game?
What do you think? Did Al Michaels overstep with his remark about Aaron Hernandez, or was it simply a fair football analysis?
Leave a Reply