Although she no longer works as a sideline reporter for FOX Sports, Charissa Thompson continues to have a respect for people who partake in the craft. There are occasions where the work of a sideline reporter is not directly attributed to the person, nor do they get the most time on camera. Thompson explained in a recent appearance on Pardon My Take that these factors represented a low return on investment for her, precipitating a transition towards becoming a studio host.
During her interview on Pardon My Take, Thompson revealed that she used to fabricate sideline reports because of the difficulties associated with obtaining the necessary information in due time. Thompson explained her reasoning for deciding to take such actions and stated that she had said it previously and not been fired for it.
“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 going to make this up,’” Thompson said. “Because first of all, no coach is going to 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 getting off the field.’ They’re not going to correct me on that, so I’m like, ‘It’s fine, I’ll just make up the report.’”
The clip of Thompson divulging this practice circulated on social media early Thursday morning, and it led to Philadelphia radio host and Eagles radio sideline reporter, Howard Eskin, to provide his thoughts on the situation. Eskin recently appeared on SportsRadio 94WIP as part of the station’s announcement of a six-year media rights extension with the Eagles, which took place on location at a Philadelphia restaurant to benefit the Travis Manion Foundation.
“As a sideline reporter myself, this is a disgrace,” Eskin said. “If the coach does not talk to [you], just give YOUR insights, but don’t make things up. It’s a slippery slop[e] to do that any time.”
At the end of the clip, Pardon My Take co-host PFT Commenter added to Thompson’s dialogue and quipped about a potential sideline report that could be delivered after halftime.
“It would be very funny if you were like, ‘Yeah, so I just spoke with Arthur Smith at halftime, and he said, ‘Bijan Robinson blew smoke in his face,’ and that’s why he’s not getting the ball,” he said.
Thompson is currently part of the studio team for both FOX NFL Kickoff and TNF Tonight, anchoring coverage leading up to National Football League action each week. In addition, she co-hosts the Calm Down podcast with FOX Sports reporter Erin Andrews, discussing sports and lifestyle while interviewing captivating guests.
