NFL announcer Al Michaels delivered unexpected on-air criticism of President Donald Trump during an NFL preseason broadcast between the Cleveland Browns and New England Patriots.
The 81-year-old play-by-play veteran, entering his 41st year in the broadcast booth, poked fun at Trump's political actions just three minutes and 21 seconds into the game on Amazon Prime Video.
Michaels was working alongside analyst Kirk Herbstreit as an overhead camera panned over Huntington Bank Field, the Browns' stadium located along the shore of Lake Erie in Cleveland, Ohio.
As the aerial view of Lake Erie appeared on screen, Michaels took a direct swipe at Trump's recent declaration regarding another of North America's Great Lakes.
"That is Lake Erie. We think it is still called Lake Erie... We're not quite sure at this point," Michaels told viewers during the live coverage.
Lake Erie Broadcast Remarks
Michaels then pointed ahead to his upcoming broadcast schedule for Thursday Night Football, which includes a game in upstate New York near the Canadian border.
"But we'll be by Lake something like Ontario or whatever it's going to be called by the time we get to Buffalo," Michaels said. "Anyway, you know what I'm talking about... Read the news."
Michaels will call his first regular season game of the NFL schedule on September 19, when the Detroit Lions travel to face the Buffalo Bills near Lake Ontario.
The veteran commentator has spent more than four decades calling primetime sports events, including legendary stints on Monday Night Football and Sunday Night Football before joining Amazon.
Trump Executive Order on Lake Ontario
The broadcast comments were prompted by Trump's announcement on Thursday that he had signed an executive order to rename Lake Ontario as "Lake America" as part of an escalating trade war with Canada.
Trump signed the executive order sitting at the Resolute Desk in the Oval Office while flanked by two large promotional display maps.
Behind the president, a map of the Great Lakes displayed the name "Lake America" printed in large red letters over Lake Ontario, while a second map was titled "MAKING THE GREAT LAKES EVEN GREATER."
During the signing ceremony, Trump claimed that federal officials had completed all formal procedures required to enact the official name change.
"notified all of the various people that we have to notify. So, we've done everything that you have to do," Trump said. "And this is official, effective immediately," he added.
Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney swiftly rejected the order, emphasizing the long history of the body of water shared between the two nations.
Carney invoked the lake's Indigenous roots and noted that its historic name predates both Canadian Confederation and the US Declaration of Independence.
"Canadians also know that naming reality means calling it Lake Ontario - then, now and always," Carney wrote in response to the US announcement.
Browns Quarterback Decision and Preseason Action
Michaels made his political reference as the Cleveland Browns prepared to kick off after taking an early lead against the New England Patriots in their Week 3 preseason contest.
The Browns took the lead in the first quarter when rookie quarterback Dillon Gabriel connected with Luke Floreia on a six-yard touchdown pass.
Earlier in the broadcast, Michaels opened the show by exchanging a fist bump with Herbstreit to mark their fifth year working together on Thursday Night Football.
Michaels noted that most starters would sit out the final preseason game, but highlighted major news surrounding Cleveland's quarterback situation.
"Back for year five of Thursday Night Football," Michaels said at the top of the broadcast. "Most of the preseason games, Week 3, starters will have the night off. They will here. We'll see a lot of the subs."
Michaels addressed the local controversy over Cleveland starting quarterback Deshaun Watson being named the starter for the upcoming regular season opener against the Jacksonville Jaguars.
"The reaction in this town, slightly less than thrilling, you might say. And everybody, including your great grandmother, has weighed in. Your turn now," Michaels said to Herbstreit.
Herbstreit admitted his surprise at the decision, suggesting that Watson's veteran experience and ability to play "smart football" under new head coach Todd Monken likely influenced the choice.
Neither Watson nor backup quarterback Shedeur Sanders played in the first half against New England, but third-string signal-caller Dillon Gabriel impressed by throwing three touchdown passes before halftime.
