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Charissa Thompson, a former NFL sideline reporter and current host of FOX Sports’ FOX NFL Kickoff, admitted earlier this week on the Pardon My Take Podcast that she would sometimes fabricate reports.
Thompson insisted that she would make up reports if coaches either did not speak at the halftime break or “it was too late.”
“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,” Thompson said. “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… Like, they’re not gonna correct me on that.”
Here’s the full interaction via Barstool.
Charissa Thompson is just making up sideline reports?? @pardonmytake pic.twitter.com/4rjYI0U0YK
— Barstool Sports (@barstoolsports) November 16, 2023
Some sports media and fans spoke out against Thompson’s statements. Here’s some of the best reaction on social media:
All #CharissaThompson had to do was say “The coach didn’t speak with us. He’s still in the locker room but he can’t be happy with that first half because… X & O.” You DON’T make up reports. This is shameful and speaks to why trust in the media is at an all-time low. @CharissaT https://t.co/IAfSoF48EY
— Dave Jordan (@DJNYC1) November 16, 2023
This ain’t a big deal simply because there’s not a single soul that says “man I can’t wait to hear what our coach said to Charissa Thompson at halftime”
Next story… https://t.co/JDGuasiM43
— Trev (@Trevtheowner) November 16, 2023
When you read or hear about people not trusting the press, Charissa Thompson is one of MANY examples of why.
Making up shit breeds distrust in people and they don’t want to talk to you which makes gathering sources for stories difficult. https://t.co/OWaILJBaNw
— Donald (@dlambert08) November 16, 2023
Charissa Thompson messed up on many levels.
1) Making up reports. Pretty self evident as to why.
2) I get it PMT is a relaxed environment, but revealing that was an odd choice
3) All the sideline reporters who do the job correctly look bad as a result.— Andrew Marchand (@AndrewMarchand) November 16, 2023
Making stuff up for a national sideline report is wild enough but Charissa Thompson’s excuse of “it’s because the coach wouldn’t talk to me” is worse.
Your job is not to just be a stenographer for them! Go observe things! I feel like I’m losing my mind.
— Andrew Goldstein (@AndyGold24) November 16, 2023
Ethan Stone is a Tennessee graduate and loves all things college football and college basketball. Firm believer in fouling while up 3.
