The Bills-Dolphins game had everybody stuck to the field — until the broadcast booth hijacked the attention. During the middle of the AFC East battle, longtime announcer Al Michaels made a slip of the tongue nobody expected. Soon, social media wasn’t discussing the game anymore — it was discussing the call.

Veteran broadcaster Al Michaels, along with Kirk Herbstreit, began their fourth season of “Thursday Night Football” for Amazon Prime Video last week. However, a slip of the tongue while calling Thursday night’s game between the Miami Dolphins and Buffalo Bills got all the attention. No one could believe it. Michaels, discussing a pivotal play, a first down, referred to the Bills as the Pittsburgh, which had everyone bewildered because the Steelers weren’t even playing.

The incident immediately became the talk of the night, fueling memes across NFL fandom. While it did not affect the coverage of the Bills-Dolphins, it certainly provided a humorous and lasting memory for spectators. It demonstrated how even experienced announcers can make off-the-cuff errors that immediately capture fans’ attention. However, it wasn’t the only jaw-dropping remark made by Michaels for the evening.

In the first half, he indicated that some “good” teams are uninteresting to watch, calling Josh Allen’s Bills “a great team to watch.” Most fans read that as a subtle jab at defending Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles, which has drawn criticism for the contentious “tush push” play. Michaels’ comment, though spontaneous, fueled the already league-wide controversy and encouraged further debate from analysts as well as spectators. On the field, the game provided its own theatrics.

Miami, desperate to sidestep a feared 0-3 start, journeyed to play against a Bills team that seemed to be in charge all day long. Buffalo dominated a sturdy lead, winning the game 31-21. A turning point arrived in a pivotal moment when Dolphins’ Zach Sieler was penalized for roughing the kicker, giving the Bills a fresh set of downs in a game tied situation. Tua Tagovailoa later threw a fourth-quarter, game-losing interception, part of a night on which the Dolphins were never able to find a rhythm.

Despite the loss, the team escaped a total meltdown, cooling down the hot seats for head coach Mike McDaniel and GM Chris Grier at least for the moment. And Michaels? Ah, his “Pittsburgh first down” comment became social media buzz the instant it happened. Fans responded in shock, laughter, and disbelief.

Fan reactions to Al Michaels’ slips

Social media exploded as fans responded to Michaels’ blunders on TV. Everyone laughed with and reacted in shock. One posted joking about the situation, “…did Al Michaels just say Pittsburgh 1st down and goal? I’m excited for Steelers football, but they’re not one of the teams playing.” 

Some other fans were brief, making a direct comment about the mistake: “Al Michaels just said Pittsburgh 1st down.” The fact that it was highlighted just shows how much a single word can trigger a collective reaction in the era of the immediacy of social media backlash.

Maybe the most extreme reactions were from fans inquiring about Michaels’ future. “Time for Al Michaels to hang it up,” one fan tweeted, speculating the 80-year-old man may no longer be at his best. Another said, not believing the incident, “Did Al Michaels just mistake Buffalo for Pittsburgh??” 

The mistake did not really impact the show itself, with Michaels concealing the incident quickly and continuing to provide play-by-play with Herbstreit. But in a time when all things said are immediately available on social media, the ‘Pittsburgh’ reference quickly became a watercooler moment outside Highmark Stadium walls.