If you’ve only seen Erin Andrews under stadium lights, you’ve only seen half the story. Away from the sidelines, she’s lived through the kind of battles that most cameras never catch. nearly ten years of fertility struggles, endless IVF cycles, devastating miscarriages, and a cervical cancer diagnosis. It’s the kind of road that reshapes a person, but Erin has carried it the way she does everything else. Head-on, no filters.
And instead of burying those chapters, she’s been putting them out there for the world to hear. On the Calm Down Podcast, Erin spoke openly about the emotional chaos and physical toll of IVF, giving the kind of advice that lands. For so many women and would-be parents, her words have been a lifeline. And for Erin, that’s always been part of the game plan.
In 2016, Erin Andrews’ season took a turn no script could prepare for. Fresh off her preseason checkups and ready for another grind of NFL coverage—and maybe a dash of Dancing with the Stars—she got the call: cervical cancer. Her father, veteran journalist Steve Andrews, still remembers that moment like a bruise you can’t heal. “It’s scary to hear your child on the phone calling you and saying, ‘I have cancer,’” he recalled. “I wanted to cry. I was brokenhearted.” In those first moments, there wasn’t much he could do except pray.
“You have conversations with your God… as a dad, I just said, ‘Let her be OK. Take me, let her be OK.’ It was hard,” he added. True to form, Erin’s first reaction was almost unfazed. “I don’t have time for this,” she told herself. Surgery was in October, but the downtime didn’t stick. Her doctor urged four or five days of bed rest; Erin gave it two. Then she was back in Green Bay, covering Cowboys-Packers like nothing had happened. Steve thought she was “And so I thought she was a little crazy, but OK”. But let’s accept that the stubborn streak was the same one that made her who she is.
CHICAGO, IL – OCTOBER 08: FOX Sports veteran reporter Erin Andrews during a game between the Chicago Bears and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on October 8th, 2020, at Soldier Field in Chicago, IL. Photo by Robin Alam/Icon Sportswire NFL, American Football Herren, USA OCT 08 Buccaneers at Bears Icon164201008514
Even before she went public the following year, she was already pushing through games, hiding the fact that she was recovering from cancer while millions watched her on TV. When she finally shared her diagnosis, Erin turned it into a mission. She partnered with AstraZeneca, launched awareness campaigns, urged women to schedule screenings, and even sold merchandise to fund the cause. She’s admitted that checkups still make her nervous and revealed in 2025 she’s dealing with a “pre-skin cancer situation.” But that’s Erin. Quite transparent, unflinching, and still moving forward.
Erin Andrews is stepping aside—but only for a week
This week’s Calm Down Podcast is shaking things up. With Erin Andrews out, co-host Charissa Thompson is bringing in a new voice—her partner, Steven Cundari. The official podcast IG page broke the news with a bold “BREAKING NEWS!! @stevencundari is in for Erin this week ,” inviting fans to send in “Pregame Questions for Charissa & Steve.” Another post had the crew asking for listeners’ “High school breakup or awkward moments,” promising a more personal, behind-the-scenes vibe. It’s not just a one-off co-host swap. A rare look at the podcast from the ‘plus one’ perspective instead of two sideline veterans trading NFL war stories.
While Cundari fills in, Andrews is back in familiar territory. Earlier this year, she co-hosted Today with Jenna & Friends alongside Jenna Bush Hager, calling it “the best week” and praising Jenna as “no better teammate.” That appearance clearly clicked, because she’s returning to the show for the week of August 11. Andrews’ blend of humor, quick-fire conversation, and on-camera polish makes her a natural fit for the lifestyle talk format—proof that her appeal stretches far beyond the NFL sidelines.
But football season is coming fast, and Andrews’ main stage isn’t changing. She’ll still anchor Fox’s top NFL broadcast team with Kevin Burkhardt and Tom Brady, while Thompson keeps steering Fox NFL Kickoff with her usual poise and charisma. The preseason clock is ticking, and this quick detour only sets the stage for Andrews and Thompson to return to their Fox NFL roles with even sharper chemistry and a few new stories to tell.
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