Charissa Thompson controversy explained: Why fans are turning against Fox Sports' NFL sideline reporter

Charissa Thompson's days as a sideline reporter might've ended, but she returned to the spotlight on Thursday due to some remarks made in a podcast appearance. The former FOX Sports sideline reporter confirmed that sometimes in her job, she would just fake quotes from coaches after halftime.

Being a sideline reporter is far from easy. You usually have to talk with coaches in a moment when they're upset, full of emotions and they don't want to give you any useful insight. But Thompson confirmed on her appearance on Barstool Sports' Pardon My Take that when needed, she would just make up the quotes.

NFL fans were outraged to see a reporter not only faking her job but also spreading misinformation as if it were a regular, acceptable thing for the profession:

What is the Charissa Thompson controversy all about?

Thompson confirmed that making stuff up was something she'd done during her years as a sideline reporter:

“I’ve said this before,” Thompson started. “I haven’t been fired to saying it, but I’ll say it again. I would make up the report sometimes, because 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'.

"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.’ They’re not gonna correct me on that. So I’m like, it’s fine, I’ll just make up the report.”

Charissa Thompson has a point when she says that doing a sideline reporter job is tough because of many things they have to wait on the coaches. However, fans pointed out that making up stuff and saying it live on television flies against the ethics of journalism.

Charissa Thompson was called out by plenty of other sideline reporters, including ESPN's Mollie McGrath:

FOX Sports' current lead sideline reporter is Erin Andrews.

Former NFL Network reporter Rachel Bonetta said that she doesn't blame Charissa Thompson for making up those quotes, adding that a more important question to ask is why someone like the Fox Sports journalist has to make up a quote.

"I feel like a valuable conversation that we all could've had today is why aren't women in sports taken seriously? Why don't coaches want to talk to us at half time?"

"Instead, all these sideline reporters have just dragged this reporter through the mud."

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Charissa Thompson releases statement after going viral

The Fox Sports sideline reporter took to social media on Friday morning to clarify a few things.

In a statement released on X (formerly Twitter), Thomson wrote:

"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."

Thompson added that she has nothing but respect for sideline reporters.