NFL reporter Kaylee Hartung opens up about insecurity and career pressure after stepping into Charissa Thompson’s spotlight

In the high-stakes world of NFL broadcasting, few stories are as layered as that of Kaylee Hartung and Charissa Thompson. Both respected voices on the sidelines, their careers have taken dramatically different turns in recent months—one climbing the ladder, the other navigating a sudden, silent exit.

After a successful stint with major networks like CBS, CNN, and ESPN, Kaylee Hartung joined Amazon Prime Video’s Thursday Night Football crew in 2022. The move was a major leap forward—but it also came with internal battles. In a raw moment on the Not Gonna Lie podcast with Kylie Kelce, Hartung admitted that her work-focused lifestyle left little room for personal joy.
“It’s not a crime if you don’t have hobbies,” she said. “I’ve prioritized my career. Fault me for it if you’d like – I need to call my mom, my grandmother … I don’t play pickleball — I don’t think that makes me a bad person.” Hartung’s vulnerability resonated with listeners, highlighting how even high achievers grapple with feelings of guilt and self-doubt.


While Hartung is finding her voice, Thompson’s journey has taken a surprising turn. After her FOX contract quietly expired post-Super Bowl—with no renewal or Emmy nods—the once-prominent host seemed to vanish from the NFL spotlight. This shift followed backlash from a past podcast admission where Thompson revealed, “I’ve sometimes made up sideline reports when coaches gave me nothing.” Though she later apologized, the controversy lingered.
Still, Thompson didn’t let the fallout define her. In a bold career pivot, she signed on with Blue Origin to cover the New Shepard Mission NS-31—the first all-female space crew since 1963. “Let’s goooooooo, thrilled to be joining @blueorigin for this historic launch!!!” she announced on Instagram, signaling a powerful comeback.
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Despite the contrasting paths, both Hartung and Thompson are rewriting the rules of what success looks like. Whether it’s Hartung’s honesty about insecurity or Thompson’s cosmic career switch, these women prove that even in a cutthroat industry, resilience and reinvention still win the day.