Sports fans took a break from obsessing over the 49ers-Eagles playoff game on Sunday and instead focused their energy on making Erin Andrews—and the fur coat she wore while working the game—go viral. The veteran sideline reporter and member of Fox Sports’ A-Team braved the freezing temperature in Philly by swaddling herself in a striking fur coat, which drew comparisons to a diverse array of notorious icons of warmth including Cruella De Ville, Jon Snow, emus, mob wives, pimps, and Ric Flair.
In addition to inspiring that gentle ribbing, the coat also captivated commenters. “I’d f***ing kill for that coat. I can’t focus on what Erin Andrews is saying because I’m mesmerized by her coat,” one person wrote, with another quipping they care less about the game than they do about the coat.
Turns out, it’s the Fox Jacket by new outerwear brand Auter founded by designer Rob Zangardi, and is described as “a refined statement piece in plush faux fur, defined by a sculptural oversized shawl collar.” The piece retails for $950, and yes, it’s 100% faux (in case the X commenter who wrote, “Erin Andrews openly supporting the 49ers. She killed at least 10 eagles for this coat,” would like to issue a correction.)
We reached out to Andrews—who always looks polished on the field but isn’t exactly known for high-drama pieces at work—to get some answers about the visceral reaction her coat elicited (she was still trending more than 48 hours after wearing it).
“I knew when my stylist, Daniela Romero, suggested I wear it that it was outside the box and super fun—and I thought Philly was the best place to do it,” Andrews told Glamour. “I forgot I was even wearing it when I did my first hit with the NFL on Fox pregame show because I was so locked in. I was introing Christian McCaffrey, and it’s the wild card, it’s a big deal.”
Andrews, 47, said even though some Eagles players and staffers commented on the coat at the start of the game—as did colleague Michael Strahan—she didn’t expect to go so viral and had “zero clue” what was happening on social media until the game was over. But as the founder of her own sports apparel line, Wear by Erin Andrews, she understands the massive exposure that can come with a big televised game. “I remember when Taylor Swift was first seen wearing pieces from my line and the effect that had on our brand. Knowing I can wear Rob [Zangardi’s] incredible clothes and have an impact in some way has been such an honor.”
“We’re not even three months old, and while we’ve been incredibly grateful for the support we’ve gotten so far, seeing the coat go viral during a game watched by tens of millions of people was a whole different level,” Zangardi told Glamour.
It’s hard to imagine the internet never having seen an oversized furry jacket before, but according to Andrews, part of the reaction likely stemmed from the fact that they’d never seen her wearing anything like it. “I think this coat caught people’s eye just because it’s such a different look for me,” she said. “In the wind, I know it looked like a Beyoncé video. It felt fun, it felt fabulous, it felt like a big event, it felt like a big wild-card playoff game on Fox. It was the perfect time to wear this piece, and I’m so excited we did it.”
Following Sunday’s game—which, according to Fox, drew 41 million viewers, making it the most-watched NFL wild-card game on any network since 2022—the jacket sold out but is currently available for preorder, with an estimated delivery date in April, just in time for spring!
