Fox promoting Allison Williams to replace Laura Okmin on NFL sidelines after abrupt exit

Fox is promoting college football sideline reporter Allison Williams to fill the NFL sideline reporter role previously held by Laura Okmin, according to a Front Office Sports report. This move follows Okmin's decision nearly a month prior to decline a contract extension with Fox after 23 years with the network.

It is currently unclear which NFL announce team Williams will join for the upcoming fall season. Okmin had worked the "NFL on Fox" sidelines during the 2024 season alongside play-by-play announcer Kevin Kugler and analyst Daryl "Moose" Johnston. Fox declined to comment on the report, and Williams has not yet publicly addressed the promotion news.

Williams joined Fox in 2022 following a controversial departure from ESPN in 2021. She left ESPN after opting out of the college football season as a sideline reporter because she refused to comply with the company's COVID-19 vaccine mandate. Williams stated her decision was based on consulting with her doctor and a fertility specialist while trying for a second child, expressing strong moral and ethical objections. In 2023, Williams and a former producer, Beth Faber, sued ESPN and Disney, alleging violation of their religious beliefs due to their firing over the vaccine policy; however, they dropped the lawsuit in May 2024.

Laura Okmin will continue covering the NFL postseason and Super Bowl for Westwood One Sports radio. After leaving Fox, she plans to focus on her company, GALvanize, which trains and mentors young women entering sports media.

This promotion news comes amidst reports that Fox secured lucrative contract extensions with veteran NFL sideline reporter Erin Andrews, who is part of the network's top broadcast team with Tom Brady and Kevin Burkhardt, and Charissa Thompson, host of the "Fox NFL Kickoff" show.