Minnesota Vikings kicker Will Reichard’s missed field goal in London, and the ensuing “he hit the skycam wire” controversy, wasn’t just a game blunder—it showed how quickly the NFL can control the narrative. Right after the kick, everyone blamed the ball hitting the skycam cable, but the NFL moved fast to prove that no technology interfered with Reichard’s attempt.
And here’s where the sarcasm and fun begin. Veteran announcer Al Michaels said, “Will Reichard… His only miss this year was when he hit a wire with the camera in London”.
(Part I)
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) October 24, 2025
Al Michaels: "Will Reichard… His only miss this year was when he hit a wire with the camera in London (https://t.co/9MVTW8muXb)." 🏈🎙️ #NFL #TNF pic.twitter.com/0Ur6PJgH7m
But the NFL wasn’t having it. Michaels had to issue a correction later in the game, jokingly noting, “The league wants to take my lunch away because I said before that (Will) Reichard’s only miss was hitting a wire in London. The league says, ‘No, no, it was an optical illusion’.
(Part II)
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) October 24, 2025
Al Michaels, later: "The league wants to take my lunch away because I said before that (Will) Reichard's only miss was hitting a wire in London. The league says, 'No, no, it was an optical illusion.'" 🏈🎙️ #NFL #TNF pic.twitter.com/FLwT0z5XBM
ESPN reports that NFL VP of Officiating Walt Anderson works directly with network rules analysts to help them explain plays correctly. The main goal? “Protect the shield”—essentially defending the league’s reputation. Anderson personally called Amazon Prime rules analyst Terry McAulay to communicate the league’s official stance: the ball did not hit the wire.
The NFL stated, “Due to the position of the camera and cables, it was impossible for them to interfere with the flight of the ball. The broadcast shot came from a low-end zone camera, which compresses the plane of focus. That’s why the ball and the cable appear in the same frame, but in reality, no contact occurred.”
Still, Vikings fans remain unconvinced—no amount of video evidence or league explanations will sway them. This incident shows that the NFL isn’t just active on the field, but behind the screens as well. Are the rules analysts giving independent opinions, or merely repeating what the league wants?
So WireGate isn’t just about a missed field goal; it’s a mini NFL broadcast drama.
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