Fox Sports’ Los Angeles studio was rocked by a 5.0 magnitude earthquake on Thursday morning, leaving NFL analysts momentarily stunned as they were live on air. The tremor struck at 7:28 a.m. local time, during the network’s new show The Facility, catching hosts Emmanuel Acho, LeSean McCoy, James Jones, and Chase Daniel off guard in the middle of a discussion about Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Baker Mayfield.
As the earthquake hit, the cameras captured the studio visibly shaking. James Jones, attempting to continue his point on Mayfield, tried to push through the tremors, but the shaking intensified. His co-host, LeSean McCoy, quickly interrupted, calling attention to the quake.
“Hold on, James! It’s earthquaking, bruh!” McCoy exclaimed. “Talking about Baker Mayfield—I almost lost my life!”
The panel paused, with everyone in the studio taking a moment to assess the situation. Once the shaking subsided, Acho read aloud an emergency alert that appeared on his phone, confirming the quake for viewers. “Earthquake detected. Drop, cover, hold on, protect yourself,” Acho said, prompting some of his co-hosts to jokingly prepare to duck under the desk.
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Remarkably, after the brief disruption, the crew brushed off the earthquake and returned to their conversation as if nothing had happened. They seamlessly resumed debating the performances of Mayfield and New Orleans Saints quarterback Derek Carr, showcasing their professionalism amid the surprise event.
The earthquake, initially reported as a 5.1 magnitude but later revised to 4.7 by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), affected several areas around Los Angeles, including Pomona, Pasadena, Riverside, and Malibu, which was just 4.3 miles from the epicenter. Residents across the region reported feeling the tremors, with some in Malibu noting that their pools were still shaking minutes after the initial jolt. San Diego residents also reported feeling the impact of the quake.
Two minutes after the initial quake, the USGS recorded a 2.8 magnitude aftershock, though it caused minimal disruption compared to the original tremor. Fortunately, no injuries were reported as of late Thursday morning.
While earthquakes are common in California—thousands occur every year—only 15 to 20 typically reach a magnitude of 4.0 or greater. Thursday’s quake, while not catastrophic, was strong enough to remind viewers and residents alike of the volatile nature of life in Southern California.
This isn’t the first time a live broadcast has been interrupted by a quake. Just a month earlier, ESPN’s Los Angeles studio was hit by a 4.6 magnitude earthquake during an episode of NBA Today. Host Malika Andrews, who was interviewing Rebecca Lobo at the time, remained remarkably calm, continuing the broadcast without missing a beat as the tremors shook the set. The August 12 quake occurred southwest of Pasadena, similar to Thursday’s event.
Footage of Andrews’ cool-headed response went viral, with viewers praising her composure. “Damn, she was so calm and smooth, I would have been screaming Chris Tucker style,” one viewer commented on social media platform X (formerly Twitter). Others admired her professionalism, with one saying, “What a pro, didn’t even miss a beat.”
As Thursday’s quake reminded everyone in the area, life in California comes with the constant possibility of earthquakes interrupting daily activities, even live television broadcasts.
Despite the brief scare, the The Facility panel showed they could handle an unexpected quake with humor and professionalism, seamlessly continuing their NFL discussions.
