“I Peed My Pants”: Erin Andrews Shares Bizarre Moment NHL Player Nearly Ran Her Over

Being a sideline reporter in professional sports is far more dangerous than it looks on television. Between dodging out-of-bounds hits and navigating crowded spaces, broadcasters must keep their heads on a swivel to avoid serious injury. That’s true even for veterans like Erin Andrews. After all, there was a time while covering the NHL from the sidelines that’s etched into her memories. And it’s not a pleasant one. 

“I’ve gotten almost run over by a player,” Andrews told Alexandra Cooper on the Call Her Daddy podcast. “I ran, ran, ran. He was coming at full force. And you do have to be so aware on the sidelines, because it’s dangerous. I remember before, I didn’t fall, holding almost onto the ground with my toes, like gripping, gripping, gripping. We went to break, they played it in slow-mo for my crew, only to watch. And I laughed so hard I peed my pants. 

“That was like being screamed out by a player who was so passionate and organic that it never happened before, and then peeing my pants from laughing, almost falling over with a player hilling me.” 

Before Erin Andrews became a familiar face on the gridiron, she began her career as a sportscaster for The Sunshine Network, covering the Tampa Bay Lightning. She got some of her best career lessons during this stint, particularly those which she received from Lightning head coach John Tortorella. From here, she went to Turner Sports, and then landed at ESPN, where she was deployed to football duties.

Andrews had no grasp of hockey before she began her career. She crammed it all in her head from a Hockey for Dummies book, and introduced herself to Tortorella, who was initially not happy that this was a female reporter. However, the two eventually developed a cordial relationship; he’d lauded her once for asking a question everyone else in the press room refused to ask. Today, Tortorella is ‘Torts’ for Andrews.

Since that incident, however, Andrews learned to prep for game days better.

She spoke about how gruelling it really is to be a sideline reporter, having to stand on her feet for hours. And there’s also so much equipment on the ground that it’s better to be safe than sorry.

“You’ve got a field, you’ve got wires, you’ve got cameras, you’ve got 300-pound men,” Andrews said. “There’s so much that you are high-stepping, tiptoeing, pointe-shoeing on. It is banana land… Another thing, that’s difficult. You may have a fantastic outfit, but baby girl, you are wearing flats.”

Even though Andrews does not appear in broadcasts anymore, she remains one of the most recognizable faces in the football community. She began covering the gridiron as a sideline reporter for College GameDay, before eventually covering the NFL and Super Bowls.

Even though she bid the rink goodbye, she is still connected to the sport via her husband, former NHL Player and Stanley Cup winner, Jarret Stoll. The two share a son, Mack, who has taken to skates while still under five years old. When he grows up, Andrews might have to make a return to where it all began.

Her fame even bagged her an invitation to Dancing With The Stars twice. And since 2021, she has been hosting the Calm Down podcast alongside fellow sportscaster Charissa Thompson. 

Surviving the chaos of professional sports sidelines certainly requires good reflexes, thick skin, and some good humor. And Andrews has been avoiding hazards on the sidelines while laughing off the embarrassing moments. She continues to prove why she has remained a dominant broadcasting force for over two decades. 

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