Michael Strahan walked onto the Fox NFL Kickoff set during Week 8, ready for what seemed like a normal day of football talk. The former New York Giants defensive end had joined host Charissa Thompson, Charles Woodson, Julian Edelman, and Jay Glazer for a pre-game segment.

The segment was called Sunday Scares, a Halloween-themed addition to the usual football coverage. Strahan focused on the discussion at hand, completely unaware that someone behind him was about to change the tone of the broadcast. A Fox producer wearing a white mask and flowing black robe had positioned himself perfectly for what everyone else on set already knew was coming.

The timing was flawless as the masked figure emerged from behind Strahan’s position and delivered the ultimate jump scare moment. Strahan’s reaction was immediate and raw.

He shouted in astonishment, “What’s wrong with you, man?” before jumping back from the masked producer.

His genuine startle told the whole story. Jay Glazer quickly chimed in with a warning, saying, “That’s how you get someone hurt over here.”

Charissa Thompson delivered her apologies directly. “Way to be a good sport about it,” she told him, recognizing that not everyone could bounce back so quickly from being startled during a live broadcast. Her acknowledgment came as genuine praise for how Strahan had transformed what could have been an awkward moment into pure entertainment. Later on, she apologized on the comment section of an Instagram video put up by NFL on FOX, too, by saying, ” Sorry, Stray! Thanks for being a good sport.” Along with a laughing emoji.

The rest of the cast erupted in laughter at the successful prank. Without hesitation, Strahan had fired back with dark humor about the situation. “When I punch somebody in the face around here on national TV,” he said, still catching his breath from the fright.

He then walked away from the studio briefly, muttering, “That ain’t funny.” The whole sequence played out like a masterclass in handling live television chaos.

Michael Strahan has built a reputation as someone who brings genuine personality to his work. His reaction drew immediate attention on social media, while Thompson seized the moment to acknowledge Strahan’s resilience on live television.

The moment brought back memories of the live accident that had occurred to Michael Strahan back on Oct. 5.

Michael Strahan gets hit in the face after an unexpected accident on Live TV

The group included Michael Strahan, Rob Gronkowski, Terry Bradshaw, Howie Long, Julian Edelman, Curt Menefee, and Jay Glazer, all gathered on a studio floor set up to replicate an NFL field.

Edelman, the former New England Patriots wide receiver, was selected as the kicker for the demonstration. Glazer took on the role of a guard while Gronkowski positioned himself as the blocker in this mock offensive line setup. The plan was simple enough, but the execution went sideways when Edelman kicked the football with minimal force. It sent the ball straight towards Strahan’s face.

It hit him right in the eye as he doubled over from the impact. Once he composed himself, Strahan admitted the football had caught him “in the eyeball.” The entire crew stood around laughing at the unfortunate collision.

Despite the physical impact of the kicked ball, Strahan had recovered quickly and continued the broadcast without apparent serious injury. The incident highlighted how live television can produce unexpected moments when demonstrations and pranks don’t go quite as planned. His ability to bounce back from such on-air accidents has become something of a trademark for the 53-year-old Giants star.