Charissa Thompson revealed truth about Sean Payton relationship after 'creepy' kiss
Charissa Thompson revealed truth about Sean Payton relationship after 'creepy' kiss
Sahil KurupFri, October 16, 2026 at 3:26 PM UTC
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Sean Payton kissed Charissa Thompson live on air -Credit:Amazon Prime Video (Amazon Prime Video)A pregame kiss between Sean Payton and Charissa Thompson drew strong reactions online, but video from 2024 shows the two have a long, friendly history
Sean Payton’s sideline kiss of Charissa Thompson went viral after Thursday night’s Broncos win, but the two have a long and friendly history that predates the cameras.
Payton, 62, ended a pregame interview with the Prime Video host by pulling her in for a kiss on the cheek ahead of Denver’s Week 6 matchup with the Seattle Seahawks. Denver went on to win in overtime, but the moment drew a mixed reaction online. Prime Video’s official NFL account posted the full interview but cut the clip before the kiss, and other accounts shared the uncut version, which fueled the debate.
Some viewers were not pleased. “Sean Payton kissing Charissa Thompson definitely wasn’t supposed to be caught on camera. Super weird,” one fan wrote. Meanwhile, Al Michaels was told to retire after his early TNF mistakes.
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Another posted, “Sean Payton shooting his shot,” while a third asked, “Sean Payton and Charissa Thompson a thing?” Others called the moment “inappropriate” and “weird.”
Plenty of fans pushed back. One wrote, “What a joke. You can’t take this account seriously at all.” Another said the greeting was normal between adults who know each other.
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Payton and Thompson worked together on FOX NFL Kickoff in 2022, when Payton stepped away from coaching after 15 seasons with the New Orleans Saints and joined the network as a studio analyst.
Thompson has hosted the show for years and joined Prime Video’s Thursday Night Football in fall 2022 while continuing her work at FOX.
Their rapport has been on display before. In 2024, ahead of the Broncos’ game against the Browns, Thompson sat down with Payton for a FOX segment and posted a video on Instagram with the caption, “Got a chance to catch-up with my old teammate and friend Sean Payton ahead of the Broncos matchup with the Browns.”
In that video, the two greeted each other warmly, and Payton kissed her on the cheek again. “How you doing, girl? It’s so good to see you,” Payton said. She added, “I have to get up to give you a hug. My mother and father would be mad if I didn’t. Love you.”
Charissa Thompson joined Amazon's Thursday Night Football in 2022 -Credit:Getty
Payton spoke fondly of the media experience. “I love that I had that year,” Payton said of his time in media. “You really want respect from your peers and you want to be looked at as really good.”
The cheek kiss, then, fits a pattern. Two longtime colleagues who say they are friends greeted each other the same way two seasons ago, and Thompson was clearly comfortable.
Payton has a 35-21 record with the Broncos and led them to the 2025 AFC Championship Game.
Thompson hosts the Thursday Night Football panel alongside Tony Gonzalez, Richard Sherman and Ryan Fitzpatrick.
Source: “AOL Entertainment”
