FOX reporter Laura Okmin is now ready for the next chapter of her life! The 53-year-old’s departure from FOX has left fans and colleagues alike in shock. After serving as a sideline reporter for FOX Sports’ NFL coverage for 23 years, Okmin’s exit marks the end of an era for the network. Undoubtedly, she built an impactful legacy in the world of media and broadcasting. From Super Bowls to All-Star games and Olympics coverage, her résumé spans nearly every major sports moment of the past two decades. She leaves as FOX’s third-longest-tenured sideline reporter.
While Laura makes her exit, Tom Brady has entered his sophomore season as FOX’s lead game analyst. After all, he’s got a $375 million deal, setting him up until 2034. So, obviously, there’s more of him to come. FOX is already bracing for the 2025 NFL broadcast. Brady and Kevin Burkhardt are ready to hold marquee matchups. Their season slate includes heavy-hitters like the Eagles–Chiefs Super Bowl rematch and Lions–Packers on Thanksgiving.
But, amidst all this, one of the most respected voices on the sidelines will no longer be part of the crew. “They sent me the contract. I printed it out. I sat there. It was just my voice saying, ‘It’s time, this is it,’” Laura Okmin remarked during an interview with Front Office Sports.
Since joining the network in 2002, her energy has never failed to reach the audience. But now, she has decided to focus her energy elsewhere. “I called my boss and my friend Jacob Ullman, whom I’ve known as long as I’ve been at Fox Sports,” she said. Talking about his reaction, she said that “he was very surprised.”
As it goes, any other reaction would’ve disappointed her, as she remarked. Laura is not retiring, but she has directed her energy towards GALvanize, a mentorship and media training company she founded in 2012 to support young women in sports journalism. “We are about building confidence – in ourselves and in each other,” her company’s website states.
And she does not intend to leave football behind. She will continue to work with Westwood One Radio, covering the NFL postseason and Super Bowl. Despite the grace with which she handles her work, it wasn’t without irrational pressure. “Honestly, it’s a tough job having to justify your job for 20 years,” she told Front Office Sports. But she has carried it effortlessly.
Her move also reopens the question of who will take her place. FOX’s current sideline roster includes Erin Andrews, Tom Rinaldi, Pam Oliver, Megan Olivi, Kristina Pink, and Jen Hale. The network could promote from within. Or maybe they could seek fresh talent as it reshapes its coverage model around Brady and Burkhardt heading into a pivotal broadcast cycle. But for the first time in more than two decades, the sidelines won’t sound quite the same.
Tributes pour for Laura Okmin
As Laura Okmin voluntarily turned down a contract extension to focus on her mentorship platform GALvanize, she took to her IG account to post, “Thank you @FoxSports and @NFLonFox for the privilege of patrolling sidelines for over two decades,” Okmin wrote. “I’m so excited for my next chapter and to share more on that. But for now, I want to make sure I honor the closing of this one. It has been the joy of my life, and I leave with such a full and grateful heart.”
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In the wake of her announcement, tributes poured into the comment section from well-known journalists and commentators. Jenny Taft, TV host and sideline staple herself, captured it best: “Congratulations Laura! Thank you for paving the way for so many of us… you’ve always made it look easy. LOVE how much you’re helping the next generation as well @galvanizelife.”
And that next generation? It owes her more than a few thank-you notes. Thai Floyd, sports journalist and daughter of 49ers legend William Floyd, said it loud for the women watching, writing, “Your career has inspired, uplifted and empowered women around you. You deserve nothing but happiness and I can’t wait to see you thrive in this new chapter. I love you .” It’s fitting praise for someone who’s spent over two decades at Fox, held it down for 20+ Super Bowls, and still found time to mentor through her GALvanize initiative. Not to mention her LO Productions work that spotlighted players beyond the stats.
That explains why even coaches are getting in their feelings. Lori Locust, assistant defensive line coach and trailblazer herself, summed it up like she was drawing up a final play: “You are such a light and inspiration…sidelines won’t be the same without you but I know whatever you choose to do next is going to be PHENOMENAL .” Locust would know, it’s not often the media and football trenches collide. But Okmin made that overlap feel seamless. Her presence wasn’t background noise. It was vital. And it’s clear the ripple effects will stretch far beyond NFL Sundays.
If you scroll through the rest of the responses, you could find Hayley Elwood dropped the “GOAT” emoji, followed by a “Forever and ever amen.” Even Adam Schefter, never one to overshare in emojis, responded with a full clap line. Safe to say, this was a victory lap for the legend of the sideline.
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