Fox Sports reporter Erin Andrews found herself defending her recent comments after other media members criticized what she said about working as a sideline reporter. Andrews had talked about the challenges of her job on a podcast, but some people thought she was complaining too much.
According to NY Post, Andrews spoke on the Calm Down podcast about what it takes to work as a sideline reporter. She answered questions from fans and explained that you need to really love the job because you miss a lot of important personal moments and holidays. She wasn’t complaining but just being honest about what the job requires.
Andrews remembered advice from one of her early professors who told students about the sacrifices they would have to make. The professor said if you don’t want to make $40,000 in your first job, leave. If you don’t want people telling you to get a nose job, leave. If you don’t want to work on holidays, leave. Andrews said this advice turned out to be true for her career.
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The job meant missing out on major life events
She explained that she didn’t get married until she was in her 40s because of her work schedule. The job means living out of a suitcase and missing many weddings and important events. Andrews said you have to love what you do to handle not being home for Thanksgiving or having a short Christmas celebration.
Even though Andrews was just giving advice to young reporters, her comments started a big discussion online. Other media members decided to share their thoughts about what she said. Missing major celebrations isn’t unique to sports broadcasting, as many public figures face similar challenges, like when Travis Kelce opened up about his proposal to Taylor Swift.
ESPN reporter Jenna Laine, who covers the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, said she respects Andrews but the comments made her think about people in much harder situations. She pointed out that many people working two or three jobs in retail or warehouses also miss holidays just to pay their bills and earn much less than reporters do.
Former ESPN host Trey Wingo also criticized Andrews. He posted that the network literally pays her to travel and make those sacrifices. Wingo said Andrews herself once mentioned that the pay covers the travel and sacrifices because the games are the fun part.
Andrews quickly responded to the criticism. She told Wingo to watch the full podcast segment to understand the context. She said she wasn’t complaining about working and was simply answering a question from a young woman who asked about being a sideline reporter. Andrews explained her point was that the job isn’t just about being on camera and hanging out with athletes – you have to work hard and truly love it, similar to how gamers dedicate time to perfecting custom golf courses in PGA.
She also responded to Laine and said she was talking about what the job requires, not complaining about it. Andrews was scheduled to work the Packers-Lions game on Thanksgiving Day with Kevin Burkhardt and Tom Brady.
Published: Nov 28, 2025 05:00 pm