In the middle of a high-stakes NFL weekend, as playoff races heated up and fans locked in for the Week 16 action, an unexpected and false rumor blindsided the football world. A hoax claiming longtime NFL reporter Jane Slater had died began circulating on social media - and it spread fast.
The timing couldn’t have been more jarring. The Seahawks had just edged out the Rams on Thursday night.
The Eagles clinched the NFC East on Saturday. And the Bears stunned the Packers in overtime.
Amid all that on-field drama, a completely fabricated story about Slater’s death began gaining momentum online.
The post claimed Slater had died at 40 in a domestic violence incident and even went as far as to say she left behind a five-year-old child. It included a photo of Slater and read like an obituary, designed to tug at heartstrings and fuel clicks.
But here’s the thing - none of it was true. Not a word.
No reports from verified news outlets. No police confirmation.
Just a viral lie.
Slater, to her credit, shut it down with the kind of grace and humor that’s made her a respected figure in NFL media circles. When a fan tagged her on social media and bluntly asked, “Did you pass away??”
she responded with a quick wit: “I don’t think so?” Then added, “But does this mean there is glitch in the matrix?
I’m gonna wrap myself in bubble wrap until NYE.”
That response - lighthearted but clear - reassured fans and put the brakes on the rumor before it could spiral further. And yes, she’s very much alive, still doing what she’s done for over a decade: covering the Cowboys as a trusted insider and sideline reporter, most often seen on NFL Network and during game broadcasts.
There was no official report, no credible source, and no evidence to support the false claim. It was a textbook case of how quickly misinformation can spread in the digital age - especially when it involves public figures.
These kinds of hoaxes aren’t new. We’ve seen similar situations before, like the time Matthew Stafford’s wife had to publicly deny a similar false report.
In this case, Slater’s quick and public response helped squash the story before it gained more traction. And while the Cowboys-Chargers game kicked off as scheduled at 1 p.m. ET, Slater was right where she always is - on the job, doing the work.
It’s a reminder of how vital it is to pause and verify before sharing anything online, especially when it concerns something as serious as someone’s life. For now, Slater’s still on the sideline, still reporting, and still very much alive - despite what the internet tried to say.