Fox Sports’ Charissa Thompson Apologizes After Criticism From Peers For Saying She “Would Make Up” Sideline Reports – Update

Tom Tapp
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UPDATED with Thompson apology: Fox Sports’ NFL Kickoff host Charissa Thompson is apologizing following an outcry of criticism from her peers after admitting that she “would make up” sideline reports at games. In an Instagram story, Charissa said she wanted to “address the elephant in the room.”

“Working in media I understand how important words are and I chose the wrong words to describe the situation,” she said, adding “I’m sorry. I have never lied about anything or been unethical during my time as a sports broadcaster.”

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She clarified that “in the absence of a coach providing any information,” she would use information she had gathered and saw during the first half to create her report. “For example if a team was 0 for 7 on 3rd down, that would clearly be an area they needed to improve on in the second half. In these instances I never attributed anything I said to a player or a coach.”

“I have nothing but respect for sideline reporters and for the tireless work they put in behind the scenes and on the field,” Thompson wrote. “I am only appreciative and humbled to work alongside some of the best in the business and call them some of my best friends.”

Here is Thompson’s statement in full:

Ok, let’s address the elephant in the room. I have a responsibility to myself and my employers to clarify what is being reported. When on a podcast this week, I said I would make up reports early in my career when I worked as a sideline reporter before I transitioned to my current host role.

Working in media I understand how important words are and I chose the wrong words to describe the situation. I’m sorry. I have never lied about anything or been unethical during my time as a sports broadcaster.

In the absence of a coach providing any information that could further my report I would use information that I learned and saw during the first half to create my report. For example, if a team was. 0 for 7 on 3rd down, that would clearly be an area they need to improve on int he second half. In these instances, I never attributed anything I said to a player or coach.

I have nothing but respect for sideline reporters and for the tireless work they put in behind the scenes and on the field. I am only appreciative and humbled to work alongside some of the best in the business and call them some of my best friends.

PREVIOUS UPDATE NOV. 16 : A growing chorus of peers is speaking out about Fox Sports’ NFL Kickoff host Charissa Thompson’s admission that she “would make up” sideline reports at games because, she says, “The coach wouldn’t come out at halftime or it was too late.”

The latest to comment comes from Lead Sideline Reporter for the NFL on CBS Tracy Wolfson, who called Thompson’s actions “absolutely not ok, not the norm and upsetting on so many levels.”

Wolfson continued, “I take my job very seriously, I hold myself accountable for all I say, I build trust with coaches and never make something up.”

New York Post Sports Media Columnist Andrew Marchand wrote that Thompson “messed up on many levels,” most prominently by fabricating reports, but also by voluntarily revealing it and making “all the sideline reporters who do the job correctly look bad as a result.”

The Athletic’s Yankees reporter Chris Kirschner wrote, “A good portion of the public doesn’t trust the media as is. I cannot believe she would proudly admit this. This causes significant harm to the people who actually take the job seriously. It’s entirely unethical and worthy of never working in the field again.”

Maddy Hudak, Sideline Reporter for Tulane Football posted a “6-minute diatribe” about “this sideline reporting situation.” Short version: She is not happy.

PREVIOUSLY at 1:13 p.m.: ESPN college football and hoops sideline reporter Molly McGrath ripped into recent comments from Fox Sports’ NFL Kickoff host Charissa Thompson, calling Thompson’s behavior when she was a sideline reporter for Fox “not normal or ethical.”

In an appearance this week on the Pardon My Take podcast, Thompson, who also does pregame, halftime and postgame coverage for Amazon Prime’s Thursday Night Football, revisited her admission last year that she would sometimes completely make up reports.

“I’ve said this before, so I haven’t been fired for saying it, but I’ll say it again,” Thompson said, “I would make up the report sometimes because A.), The coach wouldn’t come out at halftime or it was too late and…I didn’t want to screw up the report, so I was like, ‘I’m just gonna make this up.'”

Thompson then offered her rationale.

“First of all, no coach is gonna get mad if I say, ‘Hey, we need to stop hurting ourselves, we need to be better on third down, we need to stop turning the ball over . . . and do a better job of getting off the field.’ Like, they’re not gonna correct me on that.”

Today, McGrath shot back, “Young reporters: This is not normal or ethical. Coaches and players trust us with sensitive information, and if they know that you’re dishonest and don’t take your role seriously, you’ve lost all trust and credibility.”

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