Michael Strahan, long known for his NFL dominance and polished TV presence, rarely speaks about his early obsession with speed. Most know him as the quarterback killer, the morning show favorite, or the face of FOX NFL Sunday. Recently he openly confessed to feeling like an “imposter” at the 2025 Paley Honors Gala, traded playful jabs with Shaq and even busted out some surprise dance moves on Good Morning America. Strahan has barely paused for breath. And just when you think you’ve seen it all, he drops something else entirely.

Now, before you chalk it up as just another clever hype news, let’s hit the brakes. Because this video wasn’t just about nostalgia or fantasy. It pulled back the curtain on something deeper — a passion Strahan rarely talks about but never fully let go. The reel, posted on FOX’s official IndyCar Instagram, wasn’t teasing a fictional moment, it was setting the stage for something very real. Even Erin Andrews got in on the buzz, dropping a word under the reel and sending fans into overdrive.

“What if he’d never picked the football?”, That’s the question FOX Sports and IndyCar subtly dropped on fans ahead of the 2025 Indy 500 — not in words, but in a cinematic reel that caught everyone off guard. Featuring an AI-generated voiceover and baby clips of Michael Strahan, the video paints a caption “What if Michael Strahan had gone down a different path.” A world where the Hall of Famer follows his first love: racing. Set to a whimsical tone, the clip shows a toddler Strahan choosing between a toy car and a football — leading to a dreamlike scenario of him winning a major motorsport race. And even Erin Andrews chimed in, dropping a simple “Omg” under the reel as fans flooded the comments. 

And the good news is, Strahan’s stepping onto the track — literally. The FOX Sports veteran has officially been named honorary pace car driver for the 2025 Indianapolis 500, where he’ll lead the starting field in a 1,064-horsepower Corvette ZR1. The reveal was already made during 2024 FOX NFL Sunday and now it’s been confirmed by IndyCar and IMS officials. During the reveal, he couldn’t help but joke about getting behind the wheel: “I don’t know if they’re gonna limit me or what,” he laughed. “But I’m gonna see what we got here. I know this is a great car. I know I got all the drivers behind me because I’m leading the pace. We’re gonna see if they can keep up.” 

Strahan’s crossover moment is a masterstroke — appealing to both traditional race fans and millions of NFL viewers. He is clearly having a blast with the whole thing. “Michael is an impressive addition to the lineup of all-star athletes and celebrities to serve as honorary Pace Car driver for the Indianapolis 500”, IMS President Douglas Boles said via “Motorsports”. The moment of Strahan’s racing tease hit even deeper when paired with Erin Andrews’ latest heartbreak. 

Erin Andrews’ heartbreak adds weight to “Omg” reaction

Just days before reacting to the video, she revealed devastating news on her Calm Down podcast: her surrogate had suffered a miscarriage. The emotional blow reopens a deeply personal chapter in Erin’s life. For over a decade, she’s been candid about her battle with infertility. After a cervical cancer diagnosis in 2016, Andrews and her partner, former NHL player Jarret Stoll, turned to IVF.

Their son was born via surrogate, but prior to that, Erin had also lost twins during an earlier attempt. This time, she was hoping to welcome a baby girl — but life had other plans. In a trembling voice, Andrews admitted, “We got some real sh**ty news today that our surrogate had miscarried”, then turned to Taylor Swift’s “I Can Do It With a Broken Heart” for comfort.

Her simple comment “Omg” on Strahan’s reel carried far more weight than many realized, reflecting both awe and a moment of shared vulnerability amid grief. In many ways, Michael Strahan’s return to an old dream and Erin Andrews’ quiet strength in facing heartbreak show two sides of the same coin — resilience.