NBC’s Al Michaels: ‘What’s better than a good Kansas City steak or some barbecue?’

Al Michaels is as well-known for his work as a sports broadcaster, and his “Do you believe in miracles?” call is one of the greatest ever.

But did you know that he once portrayed a lawyer on the TV show “Hawaii Five-O?” Or that he disdains vegetables? In fact, he’s never eaten a vegetable. As in: ever.

Michaels told the New York Times in 2012: “If I died right now, I might be the human being who lived the longest without ever eating a vegetable.”

I talked with Michaels ahead of the Chiefs’ AFC Divisional playoff game Sunday against the Pittsburgh Steelers (he and Cris Collinsworth will be in the booth for the 7:20 p.m. kickoff), and he offered insights into what should be a good game.

Given Kansas City’s wealth of barbecue and steak restaurants, I also wondered if Michaels likes coming here for the food.

“Are you kidding me? I love it,” Michaels said. “What’s better than a good Kansas City steak or some barbecue? That’s the best. I don’t want to go to an Olive Garden or any of those places. It doesn’t even sound right. I want to go eat a big, ol’ juicy steak. I love going to Kansas City and eating there.”

Michaels, 72, has called nearly every big sporting event imaginable, so he’s had many opportunities to come to Kansas City, and that includes calling Royals games. In fact, another famous broadcaster once made it a point to stop at an iconic hotel that is currently being renovated.

“I even go back to the years when I worked with Howard Cosell on baseball,” Michaels said. “I don’t know if it exists, but the Savoy Grill was downtown. ... Cosell used to love to go to the Savoy Grill. Now we kind of go out on the Country Club Plaza area. The Plaza III is there and the Capitol Grille and I guess there is a new place which is called the Stock Hill, which I heard is pretty good, and I know we’re going to go I think Eddie V’s on Friday night. So a lot of good places to eat in Kansas City.”

And it’s not just the restaurants that Michaels likes about our fair city.

“I’ve said this many times on the air, I love the fact that when you are in the stadium, you can smell the tailgating barbecuing just wafting into Arrowhead,” Michaels said. “It makes you hungry. The wind must blow from the parking lot into the stadium. It’s a wonderful smell.

“Hopefully those fans will get their early and get their grills going.”

This story was originally published January 13, 2017 at 10:15 AM.