Fox Sports host Charissa Thompson said she’s looking forward to a “new beginning” after Peter Schrager and Michael Vick’s exits from the network left two vacant seats on the Fox “NFL Kickoff” show.
Thompson, who reportedly landed a lucrative contract extension with Fox, hosts the show on Sunday mornings throughout the NFL season with a desk of analysts, including retired Patriots wideout Julian Edelman and Pro Football Hall of Famer Charles Woodson.
During a fan Q&A on Tuesday’s installment of the “Calm Down” podcast, Thompson explained that she’s excited and curious of how the “shakeup” will affect the future of the show.
“For Fox, it’s a shakeup,” Thompson, 43, said. “I’m curious because on the Kickoff show … Peter Schrager went to ESPN sadly, which makes me bummed because I love him and Michael Vick went to go coach at Norfolk State, which obviously I’m happy for his opportunity there.
“So, its Jules [Edelman] and I and Charles Woodson. And so, we’ll find out a little bit more closer to the football season sort of the structure and the rundown and kind of how we want to frame that show. I think it’s a new beginning, so as were hitting our stride at Amazon we’re kind of starting back over at Fox, which is also exciting because that means that there’s new opportunities to do different things on that show.”
Schrager joined ESPN in April after nearly two decades at Fox.
Vick left Fox NFL Sunday to become the head football coach at Norfolk State University in February.
Andrews chimed in during the conversation, “A rebirth if you will.”
Thompson, who’s been with Fox since 2013, is entering her fourth season as host of Amazon Prime Video’s “Thursday Night Football” pregame show.
“We are fully in our stride,” she said. “… We are in year four of this bad boy and it feels great we have our same group back and everyone is very comfortable I their designated roles, so I’m excited about that.”
As for Andrews? The veteran sideline reporter, who reportedly landed a generous contract extension this offseason as well, is thrilled to get back on the road with her crew.
The WEAR by EA founder is a part of Fox’s top broadcast team of analyst Tom Brady, play-by-play man Kevin Burkhardt and reporter Tom Rinaldi.
“I like that it’s not going to be a rebirth for our crew,” Andrews, 47, said. “It’s going to be Tom [Brady’s] second year we kind of are already in the swing of things. Nothing is kind of new for us. I’m excited about just getting on the road, seeing the boys … having our funny, silly conversations. Our text chain has been a little quiet lately, I’ll probably get that going here tonight.”
Andrews and Thompson did not mention their respective contracts with Fox.
Their prior deals expired after the 2024-25 season, including Super Bowl 2025, which aired on the network.
Andrews joined Fox in 2012 after her contract with ESPN expired.
Front Office Sports reported Monday that Fox is promoting college football sideline reporter Allison Williams to Laura Okmin’s NFL sideline reporter role.
Okmin told the outlet last month that she turned down a contract extension with Fox following 23 years with the network.
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