Fox Sports personalities Erin Andrews and Charissa Thompson recently shared a humorous story on their “Calm Down” podcast involving Vikings quarterback Sam Darnold and a bit of gossip that got out of hand. The incident revolved around Darnold apparently spreading what Thompson described as “false information” about her dating life.
During the latest episode, Thompson recalled how Darnold had mistakenly claimed that she had hooked up with an unnamed individual. Laughing off the situation, Thompson made it clear that the rumor wasn’t true and expressed her frustration, saying she had been planning to confront Darnold over the mix-up.
“[He] was spreading some rumors about me that I had dated — not dated — that I hooked up with this guy,” Thompson said on the Calm Down Podcast, chuckling at the memory. “And I was like, ‘I never hooked up with that guy, Sam Darnold, don’t you dare say that.’ And it got back to me, so we’re setting the record straight.”
Andrews, who has been a longtime NFL sideline reporter for Fox, revealed that she had already addressed the issue with Darnold, using her access to the quarterback during a pregame chat to bring up the rumor in a lighthearted manner.
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“I told him during the pregame one time,” Andrews shared, adding, “I said, ‘Ohh, Charissa’s got a bone to pick with you.’”
The two hosts laughed over the situation, suggesting it was all a harmless misunderstanding, though they didn’t offer any more details about how Darnold reacted or how the mix-up originally started. Regardless, the pair of broadcasters found humor in the story, turning what could have been an awkward situation into podcast banter.
The incident was just one of many anecdotes shared on their podcast, where Thompson also gave Darnold credit for his impressive start with the Vikings this season. The former Jets first-round pick has been leading Minnesota with confidence, guiding the team to a 3-0 start. In their most recent game, Darnold completed 17 of 28 passes for 181 yards and four touchdowns, helping the Vikings secure a dominant 34-7 win over the Texans.
Thompson, meanwhile, is currently dating Steven Cundari, co-founder of the creative marketing agency Summit House.
The couple was introduced by mutual friends, Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford and his wife, Kelly, as Thompson had previously shared on the podcast. Despite the humorous rumors involving Darnold, Thompson’s relationship with Cundari is going strong.
As for Darnold, after stints with the Jets and Panthers, the 27-year-old quarterback joined the Vikings this offseason following a brief spell with the 49ers.
His solid performance has given Minnesota fans plenty of reasons to be optimistic this season. The Vikings (3-0) are set to face the Packers (2-1) in Green Bay in an eagerly anticipated Sunday matchup.
Though the gossip may have caused a few laughs, both Andrews and Thompson made it clear that all is well between them and Darnold, showing that even in the NFL world, rumors can be all part of the fun.
