The Denver Broncos secured a gritty 17-14 overtime victory over the Seattle Seahawks on Thursday night, but it wasn't the on-field heroics that had the internet buzzing. Instead, it was a brief, seemingly innocent moment between head coach Sean Payton and NFL broadcaster Charissa Thompson that stole the spotlight.
As the two wrapped up their pregame interview on Prime Video's Thursday Night Football, cameras caught Payton leaning in to give Thompson a quick kiss on the cheek. The gesture, caught live, ignited a firestorm of reactions across social media, with fans split between seeing it as a harmless greeting and something more eyebrow-raising.
“That is called greeting not kissing,” one fan tried to clarify, while another wrote, “Sean Payton kissing Charissa Thompson definitely wasn’t supposed to be caught on camera. Super weird.” The confusion even reached Broncos faithful, with one asking, “Did Sean Payton just kiss Charissa Thompson?” Others pointed out their professional history, noting, “That Sean Payton/Charissa Thompson kiss looked weird, but they were colleagues at one point.”
Indeed, Payton and Thompson share a working relationship that predates this season. During the 2022 campaign, while Payton was away from coaching after stepping down from the New Orleans Saints, he joined FOX's NFL coverage, where Thompson was a prominent host. That shared time on the FOX set likely explains the familiarity—and the cheek peck.
Neither Payton nor Thompson has addressed the moment publicly, and they're under no obligation to do so. In the grand scheme, it appears to be a friendly, quick exchange between two professionals who know each other well—nothing more, nothing less.
The Broncos, meanwhile, have bigger fish to fry. The win over Seattle was far from pretty, and Payton's offense continues to struggle. Rookie quarterback Bo Nix has been under heavy scrutiny, with critics like Colin Cowherd and Tony Gonzalez questioning his performance. Payton even took over play-calling duties after a slow start, a move that has drawn its own set of reactions. As the team prepares for an Oct. 25 matchup against the Arizona Cardinals, the focus will surely shift back to the field.
For Thompson, the show goes on. She'll be back on Prime Video next Thursday when the New England Patriots host the Chicago Bears. And while the internet may still be buzzing about that kiss, it's likely just another Thursday night for the veteran broadcaster.
