- Sports reporters often find themselves witnessing history on the field or on the court.
- Sometimes, they unwittingly become a part of it.
- On Twitter, many reporters shared their favorite “unintentional photobombs,” covering everything from Super Bowl moments to ill-timed sneezes caught on camera.
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The job of a sports reporter often offers up a front seat to some of the biggest games in the world.
Reporting courtside for a game or shooting photographs from the end zone can bring you closer to the action than even the best seats that money can buy.
It’s one of the perks of the job, but it can also come with unintended consequences. When you’re that close to the action, sometimes you can become a part of the action, whether you want the camera on you or not.
Some reporters began sharing their favorite “unintentional photobombs” after a tweet from Chris Grosse, who works as the Assistant Athletics Director for Marketing at Penn State.
What is your favorite sports-related, unintentional photobomb picture of yourself?
— 𝘾𝙝𝙧𝙞𝙨 𝙂𝙧𝙤𝙨𝙨𝙚 (@Chris_Grosse) June 22, 2020
Responses came in from across the sports world - whether you're one of the top broadcasters covering the biggest live event of the year, or a local beat reporter following up with a coach, there's no telling when the camera might catch you.
ESPN's Adam Schefter had a solid entry, smiling behind Ben Roethlisberger after he and the Steelers won Super Bowl XLIII.
Arash Markazi of the Los Angeles Times was caught smirking behind Dwight Howard in a comical shot.
Doing my best impersonation of @McKaylaMaroney while @DwightHoward talked about how good the Lakers were going to be before the 2012-13 season. pic.twitter.com/MPqyY3kVBA
— Arash Markazi (@ArashMarkazi) June 22, 2020
ESPN's Royce Young was unwittingly caught on camera FaceTiming his baby. It was adorable.
Got caught FaceTiming the baby on the job. https://t.co/ZTQ64TBYWZ pic.twitter.com/TR5Zi0C8WZ
— Royce Young (@royceyoung) June 23, 2020
Patrick Clayborn of the NFL Network got a good laugh after looking entirely exasperated with Alabama's A.J. McCarron.
Easy, this one of me being fed up with AJ McCarron that got my wife to slide into my DMs https://t.co/7iLuaAo9nt pic.twitter.com/qKMuKea5lS
— Patrick Claybon (@PatrickClaybon) June 23, 2020
Ann Marcelli, who works for Oklahoma's Athletics Communications office, had to dip out of the way of a post-game press conference.
Dodge, dip, duck, dive and dodge. https://t.co/REf6cDfXOc pic.twitter.com/LPZm9DVS6c
— Ann Marcelli Gracia (@Ann_NMarcelli) June 22, 2020
Kyle Weatherly, Sports Director at KSWO-TV in Lawton, Oklahoma, looked quizzical while holding a camera behind Jalen Hurts.
Got a little face time at the Big 12 Championship last year https://t.co/hmk7V42X1M pic.twitter.com/wNdhuMbYgW
— Kyle Weatherly (@kweatherly_KSWO) June 23, 2020
Marissa Magnatta of WMMR in Philadelphia took a tumble on the ice during a live shot.
That’s me in the yellow jacket. pic.twitter.com/OiWVRpa7v3
— Marisa Magnatta (@MarisaMagnatta) June 22, 2020
Lindsay Gibbs, who writes the Power Plays newsletter, didn't know the cameras were on her.
It’s a screencap, but ... https://t.co/x9OdGePv4P pic.twitter.com/lx8H0VMUky
— Lindsay Gibbs (@linzsports) June 23, 2020
Les Bowen, who covers the Eagles for the Philadelphia Inquirer, couldn't hold back a sneeze.
I WAS TRYING TO STIFLE A SNEEZE. DON’T BELIEVE @cmaceagles AND HIS FAKE NEWS NARRATIVE THAT I WAS REACTING TO A PARTICULARLY INANE QUESTION ASKED BY ANOTHER REPORTER!! https://t.co/M2IJQD3hAu pic.twitter.com/pqKPthYEez
— Les Bowen (@LesBowen) June 22, 2020
Melissa Y. Kim, a sports reporter in Wisconsin, got a front-row seat for Charles Barkley's shocking golf swing.
Can I use a gif? Thassss me in the pink 💁🏻♀️💁🏻♀️💁🏻♀️ https://t.co/gmO2CPizoQ pic.twitter.com/a7nS3mCs1e
— Melissa Y. Kim (@melissaykim) June 24, 2020
Taylor Snow, who covers the Celtics, was caught with his mouth full.
*Takes big gulp of water*
*Looks up*
“Oh no.”https://t.co/i9Zom5oER6 pic.twitter.com/QYMrsRdQzG— Taylor Snow (@taylorcsnow) June 23, 2020
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