NFL host Charissa Thompson made a bold confession on an episode of Pardon My Take this week, admitting that she has fabricated sideline reports in the past. “I’ve said this before. I haven’t been fired to 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 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.”
Thompson was previously a sideline reporter for Fox before moving to hosting roles at the NFL Network and Amazon. However, her confession has caused an uproar within the media community. “Young reporters: This is not normal or ethical. Coaches and players trust us with sensitive information, and if they know that you’re dishonest and don’t take your role seriously, you’ve lost all trust and credibility,” ESPN broadcaster Molly McGrath wrote on social media in response to the news. Furthermore, Thompson had previously alluded to paraphrasing or embellishing comments from coaches. However, this was the first time she had admitted to completely fabricating parts of her reporting.
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Will Thompson Be Punished For Her Admission?
Intentionally or not, Thompson has likely created a much bigger story around the profession and ethics of the sideline reporter role. She is a well-liked personality and is often praised for making professional reporting engaging to interact with. However, it’s rare that a journalist will be forthcoming with the fact that they intentionally broadcast information they knew to be false. Neither the NFL Network nor Amazon have commented on Thompson’s admission. Furthermore, it’s unclear if she will be reprimanded for what she admitted to.
However, the repercussions could be much more big-picture in scope. Coaches may be less willing to Thompson now that she has sunk her own credibility. Furthermore, praise of her reporting may be more subdued. From now on, bosses and fans alike wonder whether she is actually speaking the truth when turned to. Thompson no longer primarily works in a sideline reporter role. However, there is every chance that the entire field takes a hint as coaches become more wary of the reporters they are speaking to. However, this is a developing story and we’ll have any updates as they emerge.
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