Veteran sportscaster Al Michaels wryly referenced President Donald Trump's executive order to rename Lake Ontario as "Lake America" during the broadcast of a preseason NFL game on Amazon Prime Video.
Michaels made the comments on Thursday, August 27, 2026, while calling the Patriots-Browns "Thursday Night Football" game. As the broadcast showed an aerial view of the stadium with Lake Erie in the background, Michaels remarked on the changing names of the Great Lakes.
"That is Lake Erie. We think it is still called Lake Erie… We’re not quite sure at this point," Michaels said. "But we’ll be by Lake something like Ontario or whatever it’s going to be called by the time we get to Buffalo. Anyway, you know what I’m talking about… Read the news."
President Trump had announced earlier on Thursday that he signed an executive order renaming Lake Ontario to Lake America. The move came amid ongoing trade discussions with Canada and Prime Minister Mark Carney. Trump stated from the Oval Office that all necessary documentation had been filed and notifications made, declaring the change "official, effective immediately."
Michaels, 81, is in his fifth season as Amazon's lead game-caller. He had previously confirmed his return for the 2026 season in January, telling Sports Business Journal that he felt he was "at the top of his game."