The New York Giants hosting the Philadelphia Eagles on Thursday Night Football naturally led to plenty of Saquon Barkley discussion this week. Barkley signed as a free agent with Philadelphia ahead of the 2024 NFL season after spending his first six seasons with the Giants, and he proceeded to be named the NFL Offensive Player of the Year at running back for the Super Bowl champion Eagles.
On the Prime Video broadcast, play-by-play announcer Al Michaels said multiple times in the first half that Barkley had been “traded” to the Eagles.
“Saquon Barkley, drafted by the Giants second overall back in 2018,” Michaels said in the first quarter. “And then, and then, the trade. The infamous deal. Off he went to Philadelphia, of all places.”
After Herbstreit offered some commentary, Michaels corrected himself.
“I said a trade; he signed as a free agent,” Michaels said. “The Giants only wish they’d gotten something for him.”
“And then, the trade. The infamous deal. Off he went to Philadelphia of all places.” – Al Michaels on Saquon Barkley joining the Eagles
Michaels corrected himself shortly after: “I said a trade; he signed as a free agent. The Giants only wish they’d gotten something for him.” pic.twitter.com/AZIVyVtqxJ
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) October 10, 2025
Michaels issued a correction on that flub, at least. But early in the second quarter, he mentioned the Barkley “trade” again.
Al Michaels mentions the Saquon Barkley “trade” for the second time on Eagles-Giants TNF.https://t.co/CpKbevRwcC pic.twitter.com/6Bw6iS3hQG
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) October 10, 2025
“So, last year, of course, the Barkley trade,” Michaels said.
It hasn’t been the smoothest couple of weeks for the legendary play-by-play man, who struggled on last week’s Thursday Night Football game between the San Francisco 49ers and Los Angeles Rams.