Fox Sports sideline reporter Erin Andrews reflected on what she viewed as a disaster of a halftime update.
Andrews was in Detroit to cover Sunday’s game between the Lions and the Green Bay Packers when she spoke with Green Bay head coach Matt LaFleur.
But after their conversation, Andrews’ had little time to prepare herself for her on-air hit due to how long the ramp is at Ford Field leading to the locker room.
As she explained on her Calm Down podcast with co-host Charissa Thompson, Andrews had only about one minute before she got back on air.
‘I’m like, “Oh my God, I’ve got to shore up my notes.” I’m putting it all together,’ Andrews said, recalling her hurried state.
‘And I’m like, “Wait, s***. What did he say about going for it?” Because I never want to quote a coach and get it wrong.’
Fox Sports reporter Erin Andrews recalled her frantic efforts to get halftime updates
Andrews said her long walk up the tunnel talking to Packers coach Matt LaFleur left her with little time to prepare for her halftime report before she went back onto the air
To get LaFleur’s exact quote, Andrews listened back to a recording she made of their conversation – a practice she picked up recently.
‘I’ve started to do it the last couple of years just because there may be something they say, and I want to get it exactly right,’ Andrews answered. ‘I never want to misquote.’
Andrews’ concern stemmed from how much time she had before her hit: ‘So I run. I literally am standing in front of the camera, and my producer goes, “Erin, we’re gonna come to you first.” Okay great.’
‘And then I’m like, “Oh my God, I don’t have the injuries [report].” I run to find PR, and then Kevin [Burkhardt] and Tom [Brady] are on-air; I’m not near the camera.’
Despite her worries, Andrews was able to get back to the camera in time to take the handoff from play-by-play man Burkhardt.
‘I’m fully f***ing out of breath, which is inappropriate,’ Andrews said. ‘Get it together, sister. In through the nose, out through the mouth…it was so stupid. And it’s all because the ramp was so long.’
Andrews’ spirited efforts to get all the information she needed to be well prepared ultimately led to her fumbling her update.
‘I was like, “And then now to the offense.” And I realize I had just said the offense, and I go, “Wait, Kev, I just said the offense…” Then they snap the ball, and I go, “Don’t worry, Kev, I’ll get it together after this play.”‘
Andrews’ stumble led to some lighthearted banter with commentator Kevin Burkhardt (L)
‘And then I’m like, “Oh my God, how many people are watching, and I just sh*t down my leg. I’m so much better than that.”‘
While Andrews certainly felt the embarrassment, her hurried nature mostly went unnoticed and she wasn’t criticized on social media.
There even was a moment of lighthearted banter with Burkhardt before Andrews could land smoothly with the injury updates.
