baɪ nˈaɪntiːnhˈʌndɹɪd sˈɪksti nˈaɪn hiː wʌz ˈɔːlmoʊst ɛksklˈuːsɪvli ɐ plˈeɪskɪkɚ fɚðə kˈoʊlts bˌʌt ˈæftɚɹ ɐ sˈiːzən ɪnwˌɪtʃ hiː wʌz səksˈɛsfəl ˌɔn lˈɛs ðɐn hˈæf hɪz fˈiːld ɡˈoʊl ɐtˈɛmpts ænd stɹˈʌɡəld ɪspˈɛʃəli wɪð lˈɔŋɡɚ kˈɪks, ɹˈʊki dʒˈɪm oʊbɹˈaɪən wˈʌn ðə kˈoʊlts plˈeɪskɪkɪŋ dʒˈɑːb ɪnðə nˈaɪntiːnhˈʌndɹɪd sˈɛvənti pɹɪsˈiːzən ænd mˈaɪkəlz wʌz wˈeɪvd.
By 1969 he was almost exclusively a placekicker for the Colts but after a season in which he was successful on less than half his field goal attempts and struggled especially with longer kicks, rookie Jim O'Brien won the Colts placekicking job in the 1970 preseason and Michaels was waived.