It was hard not to notice who wasn’t there. As FOX rolled out its 2025 NFL broadcast slate with all the glitz of a Super Bowl halftime show—Tom Brady, Rob Gronkowski, Erin Andrews—all eyes turned toward one familiar face missing from the picture: Charissa Thompson. For over a decade, she’s been a staple on Sundays, the polished calm between pregame chaos and postgame hot takes. But on the day FOX cemented its future lineup, Charissa wasn’t in the frame. Instead, she was in New York—posing with a new crew, captioning it with joy, and getting loud cheers from her sideline sisters.

On May 14, Charissa shared a post on Instagram with her new friends in New York City. You can see Charissa not with her ‘usual’ company. And that’s why her caption to the post said it all. Her excitement and eagerness in working for NFL on Prime was priceless. The caption went, “Great few days in NYC with the crew and new friends! Very excited for the upcoming season and most importantly excited to do it with this group of fine folks.” And within a few hours of her post, Erin Andrews and Kaylee Hartung cheered her up. Both star reporters from the NFL world commented on her post, celebrating their friend’s update. 

A few days ago, on May 12, she also shared an update about her presence at Amazon Upfront at the Beacon Theatre. After the event, she shared a photo with the Kelce brothers and a few NBA and WNBA players, including Blake Griffin and Candace Parker. This suggests that Charissa is finding her own space out of her love for the sport, even if FOX doesn’t seem clear on her new contract. 

Will Charissa Thompson follow in Erin Andrews’ footsteps and walk away once her contract ends? She recently addressed the speculation and shut down the swirling rumors with a rather intriguing statement. Still, the fact that she was notably absent from FOX Sports on a major announcement day raises eyebrows. Could this be a sign of what’s to come? Let’s dive deeper to find out what’s really going on behind the scenes.

Charissa Thompson’s FOX freeze-out: What really happened

On May 12, FOX joined the NFL’s national broadcast rollout, unveiling major schedule wins, including a record 11 doubleheaders and a primetime college opener between Texas and Ohio State. Tom Brady and Erin Andrews co-hosted. Rob Gronkowski was on hand. Even Brady’s Michigan loyalty sparked friendly fire with Andrews on-air. But Charissa Thompson, long associated with FOX NFL Kickoff, was notably absent. The omission didn’t go unnoticed—and reignited speculation that FOX might be quietly moving on from the longtime host. However, Thompson had already tried to put those rumors to rest.

Back in April 2025, she addressed online headlines claiming she’d been fired: “No, I am not leaving Fox. I was never leaving Fox. I don’t know where this took on a life of its own.” She also added, “I wouldn’t normally address this because we all get fake headlines. But no, I’m not leaving Fox, I was never leaving Fox. I’m not fired… I hope I die at [Fox]. As I always talk about, Fox is my longest relationship. I have worked there since I was 22 years old, starting in the HR department. So yes, I love Fox, I will hopefully end my career there in a long, long time. But anyway, it’s not ending anytime soon…That’s a fake headline.”

Thompson, who started at FOX at age 22 in their HR department, made clear her loyalty. But she also acknowledged something unspoken: she’s currently out of contract.

Thompson’s recent activity has pointed elsewhere. While she hasn’t confirmed a full-time shift, her platform at NFL on Prime continues to expand. As FOX finalizes its on-air talent for the 2025 season, Thompson seems to be betting on versatility—and staying close to the game she loves, whether it’s via cable or stream.

As fans look ahead to opening kickoff, the question lingers: Will FOX re-up their longest-tenured sideline queen? Or has Charissa Thompson, with Hartung and Andrews behind her, already begun writing the next chapter? Either way, she’s not waiting for someone else to announce it. She’s doing what every smart veteran does: calling her own plays.