Erin Andrews recently enjoyed an offseason vacation with her friends. The veteran NFL sideline reporter was out on a boat somewhere tropical. It looked beautiful.
While Andrews obviously has every right to go on a beautiful vacation, it's who she was on vacation with that sparked some debate online.
Andrews, FOX's No. 1 NFL sideline reporter, was on vacation with Los Angeles Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford and his wife, Kelly Stafford. Andrews has long been friends with the Staffords. However, should an NFL reporter be friends - the point where they are going on vacation with one another - with someone that she is supposed to cover professionally and journalistically?
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Andrews of course has been very open about her friendship with the Staffords. FOX's Charissa Thompson and her boyfriend, Steven Cundari, were on the vacation, as well.
Photos of the group on a boat were shared online.
In the wake of the Dianna Russini-Mike Vrabel scandal, conversations are being had about reporters and the personal relationships they might have with the coaches and players that they cover.
Andrews of course is not alone in this department.
FOX's NFL insider, Jay Glazer, is friends with many coaches and players, often working out with them and going on vacation with them.
Should NFL reporters and insiders be so friendly with the people they cover?
At this point, it's hard to put the toothpaste back in the tube. Many of these top insiders aren't really journalists - they are insiders. They are there to give us information as quickly as possible. And that often requires being friends or at least very friendly with their sources.
Still, it's an interesting debate in today's world.
Andrews, of course, isn't typically breaking any news or doing any in-depth reporting, but rather working the sidelines and doing taped pre-game segments.
But what do you think NFL fans - should she be on vacation with one of the top players that she covers?
