Charissa Thompson spent Thursday in a way fans did not expect. She arrived in Houston for Thursday Night Football carrying the weight of a private family loss, yet she still had to anchor a national broadcast and maintain the steady presence fans expect.
Oct 2, 2025; Inglewood, California, USA; Charissa Thompson on the Prime Thursday Night Football set during the game between the San Francisco 49ers and the Los Angeles Rams at SoFi Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
Oct 2, 2025; Inglewood, California, USA; Charissa Thompson on the Prime Thursday Night Football set during the game between the San Francisco 49ers and the Los Angeles Rams at SoFi Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
The situation linked her NFL duties with a difficult day unfolding out of public view. It gave fans a clearer sense of the pressure she managed. It showed the resolve she brought to the broadcast.
Charissa Thompson opens up about her loss
Charissa Thompson revealed after the Texans and Bills game that she had been dealing with a painful loss. She did not share it before kickoff. She chose to work as usual, even when her mind was nowhere near football.
When the broadcast ended, she spoke about the importance of rescue animals in her life. Her voice cracked as she tried to finish her thoughts.
Fans saw her pause and gather herself. A clip from the postgame coverage spread online. One fan shared it and said dog owners everywhere would understand her pain.
Fox Sports and Amazon Prime Video host Charissa Thompson mourns the loss of her German Shepherd pic.twitter.com/XbjszxuNUJ
— BLACK ADAM SCHEFTER (@B1ackSchefter) November 21, 2025
Thompson later explained that the loss involved her German Shepherd rescue she had raised for nine years. She said it happened earlier that same day. The timing left her little room to grieve before heading to work.
Her history with rescue pets is familiar to many of her followers. In 2020, she posted about Daisy, her adopted dog. She talked about using a DNA test to check for genetic issues.
She learned Daisy was almost entirely German Shepherd and healthy at the time. Thompson had no indication that her time with her rescue would be shorter than she hoped.
Her situation reflects moments other sports figures have faced. Dwight Howard mourned the loss of his dog earlier this year. Kirk Herbstreit announced that his dog, Ben, died at the age of 10.
Fans often respond strongly to these moments because pets fill daily life in a way few other bonds do.
One fansaid, “Charissa Thompson’s German Shepherd rescue that she got 9 years ago died yesterday, and the Inglemoor High grad still worked the Thursday night game in Houston. Not sure how you did it @CharissaT, but guessing dog lovers everywhere pass along their condolences. #GoCougs”
Charissa Thompson’s German Shepherd rescue that she got 9 years ago died yesterday, and the Inglemoor High grad still worked the Thursday night game in Houston. Not sure how you did it @CharissaT, but guessing dog lovers everywhere pass along their condolences. #GoCougs pic.twitter.com/kamCYsmuEW
— Jim Moore (@cougsgo) November 21, 2025
Another fanadded, “Absolutely gut wrenching. I rescued my boy 10 months ago. No kids, so he’s the closest I’ll get. Can’t imagine losing him. She’s a pros pro for keeping it together during the show and rightfully got emotional talking about her girl. Big hugs!”
Absolutely gut wrenching. I rescued my boy 10 months ago. No kids, so he’s the closest I’ll get. Can’t imagine losing him. She’s a pros pro for keeping it together during the show and rightfully got emotional talking about her girl. Big hugs!
— Aaron Miller (@forcefateaaron) November 21, 2025
Thompson’son-air composure stood out. She faced the pressure of live television on the same day she suffered a personal loss.
Her reaction reminded fans that people in front of the camera deal with the exact sudden hits of life that everyone else does.