FOX Sports is adding a familiar face to its NFL coverage this fall. According to a report from Front Office Sports, veteran broadcaster Allison Williams has been promoted to a full-time sideline reporter role for FOX’s NFL coverage. Williams, who joined the network in 2022 after departing ESPN, will now take on one of the most high-profile assignments in sports broadcasting.
The move marks a significant step forward for Williams, who is already a staple on FOX’s college football coverage alongside play-by-play voice Jason Benetti and analyst Brock Huard. While she’s worked select NFL games in the past, the new role places her in a consistent position throughout the 2024 season.
Williams’ elevation comes as FOX adjusts its NFL sideline roster. According to the report, she will work with play-by-play announcer Kevin Kugler and analyst Daryl Johnston, replacing Laura Okmin, the third-longest-tenured sideline reporter in NFL history. Last month, Okmin announced she would be leaving the network after turning down a contract extension.
For nearly a quarter of a century, Okmin has been a fixture in FOX Sports’ coverage of the National Football League. Although she is stepping away from FOX Sports, her plan is to continue working in football, specifically by contributing to NFL postseason and Super Bowl coverage for Westwood One’s radio broadcasts.
She originally joined FOX Sports in 2002, serving as both a host and reporter for the network. In addition, she was a host for the company’s digital coverage of the 2012 and 2014 Olympic Games.
Williams began gaining national attention during her time at ESPN, where she covered college football and basketball across multiple platforms, including ABC and ESPN’s linear networks. However, in 2021, she left the company after choosing not to comply with its COVID-19 vaccine mandate. FOX welcomed Williams in 2022, and her work on the college football sidelines has been widely praised.
Williams’ ascension is another example of FOX investing in versatile and experienced talent as it looks to maintain its strong position in NFL broadcasting.
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