Fred Gaudelli Officially Named Executive Producer of Thursday Night Football on Amazon Prime Video

Sports Broadcasting Hall of Famer remains with NBC executive team as "key contributor" on SNF

It was officially announced on Wednesday that Fred Gaudelli, a 24-time Emmy-winning producer and Sports Broadcasting Hall of Famer, will join Amazon Prime Video as executive producer of Thursday Night Football, which debuts under a new exclusive rights agreement this fall.

Gaudelli will lead the TNF production on-site each week, as part of a collaboration with NBC Sports. In working the TNF package, Gaudelli, who produced his seventh Super Bowl in February with NBC, continues his legendary career with his 33rd season as the lead producer for an NFL primetime property.

According to the announcement, Gaudelli will remain on NBC Sports’ executive team and will serve as a key contributor to NBC Sunday Night Football’s editorial and production efforts. However, that means NBC Sports will need a new lead producer for SNF this season to work alongside director Drew Esocoff.

UPDATE (3/24/22, 8:37 p.m. ET): Rob Hyland Assumes Coordinating Producer Role for NBC Sunday Night Football

Wednesday’s official announcement also named Sports Broadcasting Hall of Famer Al Michaels as TNF’s play-by-play announcer and Kirk Herbstreit as lead analyst.

“With their infectious passion for the game, Al, Kirk, and Fred are the perfect building blocks to make Thursday Night Football on Prime Video a weekly destination for all football fans,” said Jared Stacy, director of Global Live Sports Production, Prime Video. “We’re thrilled to have this crew on board as we create a dynamic, informative, and entertaining night of NFL programming that will make every big moment on the field feel even bigger.”

“Al and I have had a great run for 21 years and I’m thrilled to extend our relationship and welcome Kirk Herbstreit to the Prime Video team,” said Gaudelli. “Al and Kirk will make Thursday Night Football a unique viewing experience for all NFL fans.”

“Al and Kirk bring unparalleled experience to our historic new Thursday Night Football game telecasts, as we kick off our groundbreaking new agreement with the NFL,” said Marie Donoghue, vice president, Global Sports Video, Amazon. “Having these two legends in the booth, with the best game producer in the business, Fred Gaudelli, will help make Thursday night the most exciting football night of the week.”

While Amazon Prime Video has had a distribution role with TNF for the past handful of years, this season marks an important first as Prime Video will become the first streaming service to air a season-long exclusive national broadcast package with the NFL. The 11-year deal includes 15 regular-season games and one preseason game per year, with Prime Video also delivering new pregame, halftime, and postgame shows.

The first season in an 11-year agreement to deliver Thursday Night Football exclusively to Amazon Prime Video begins Thursday, September 15.