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While speaking as a guest on the "Pardon My Take" podcast, Thursday Night Football studio host Charissa Thompson admitted that in her history as an NFL reporter on live TV, she would sometimes "make up" her halftime and in-game reports, choosing to do so when coaches wouldn't make themselves available for the traditional "quickie'' interviews.
USA Today quickly called for her firing.
On the cusp of what is being called a "scandal", Thompson is now backtracking, saying that she absolutely did not fabricate stories, explaining in an apology on Friday," I chose the wrong words."
Thompson, 41, said she would speak in cliches and discuss things that head coaches would surely agree with. She said later on the Barstool Sports show that if a coach refused to speak to her or if she was running short on time, she'd just pretend she was told something about the game.
"Like, they're not going to correct me on that," she said with a smile. "So, I'm like, 'It's fine. I'll just make up the report.'"
But now, in a statement issued on her Instagram page, she changed her tune.
"I chose the wrong words to describe the situation," Thompson said. "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."
She then gave a specific example.
"For example," she continued, "if a team was 0 for 7 on 3rd down, that would clearly be an area they need to improve on in the second half. In these instances, I never attributed anything I said to a player or coach."
Thompson's employer, Prime Sports, has not commented on the situation, nor has any disciplinary action been taken against her.
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