Fox Sports’ Charissa Thompson has issued an apology after admitting to fabricating information during her days as an NFL reporter, despite backtracking on her claim that she frequently made up quotes from coaches.
The host for ‘Fox NFL Kickoff’ and Amazon’s ‘Thursday Night Football’ made the staggering revelation this week while appearing on Barstool Sports’ ‘Pardon My Take’ podcast.
Thompson sparked widespread controversy by explaining: ‘I’ve said this before, so I haven’t been fired for saying it, but I’ll say it again – I would make up the report sometimes because A, the coach wouldn’t come out at halftime or it was too late and I was like, I didn’t want to screw up the report, so I was like, “I’m just gonna make this up.”
‘Because, 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.’
Despite outrage over her admission, Thompson still presented the Amazon Prime broadcast for Thursday night’s NFL game between Baltimore Ravens and Cincinnati Bengals. She didn’t address the uproar in her pre-game coverage.
Charissa Thompson has issued an apology after admitting to fabricating information during her days as an NFL reporter
Thompson made the admission on a podcast earlier this week and her comments have been slammed by fellow reporters
In a statement on Friday the presenter finally addressed the ‘elephant in the room’ – insisting she ‘chose the wrong words to describe the situation’
However, in a statement on Friday the presenter finally addressed the ‘elephant in the room’ – insisting she ‘chose the wrong words to describe the situation’.
‘Ok, let’s address the elephant in the room,’ Thompson said in a statement on social media. ‘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.’
She continued: ‘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 in the 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.’
While she was facing the cameras in Baltimore on Thursday night, Thompson’s industry colleagues were left incensed by her claim to have fabricated information.
CBS Sports’ sideline reporter Tracy Wolfson was one of many reporters who were outraged
CBS Sports’ sideline reporter Tracy Wolfson wrote on X: ‘This is absolutely not ok, not the norm and upsetting on so many levels.
‘I take my job very seriously, I hold myself accountable for all I say, I build trust with coaches and never make something up. I know my fellow reporters do the same.’
Fellow Fox Sports’ reporter Laura Okmin said: ‘THE privilege of a sideline role is being the 1 person in the entire world who has the opportunity to ask coaches what’s happening in that moment.
‘I can’t express the amount of time it takes to build that trust. Devastated w/the texts I’m getting asking if this is ok. No. Never.’
ESPN’s Buster Olney responded to Okmin and said: ‘If the coach/manager declines to answer any questions, you start with that. And then plane onto other information.’
Jenna Laine, also of ESPN, said: ‘I spent time as a sideline reporter and have dealt with instances where access and immediate information was a challenge.
‘If I may…this is why you over-prepare. Lean on reporting from earlier in the week with top storylines and get really unique back-stories. Hope that helps.’