Fans once flooded social media asking whether Kaylee Hartung had an eye injury after noticing a slight asymmetry on screen
The truth is more nuanced: during the early days of COVID‑19, Hartung publicly discussed unusual symptoms—including eye pain—and later fully recovered.
Today, she continues to thrive on some of the biggest stages in sports and news broadcasting, serving as Thursday Night Football’s sideline reporter on Amazon Prime Video and a contributing correspondent for NBC’s TODAY Show, while also earning industry recognition.
Here’s the definitive, 2025-updated guide to what really happened to her eye, her career timeline, personal life, and the latest news.
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Table of Contents
Did Kaylee Hartung Really Suffer an Eye Injury?
Some of Kaylee Hartung’s fans in 2020 believed her left eye was unusual, and some even suspected she had a prosthetic eye.
The reporter had been diagnosed with coronavirus, which was quickly found. As a result of the infection, she had had eye pain. Furthermore, the journalist was on medicine, including a lotion she placed between her eyes, which caused her left eye to be slightly off.
Because her symptoms were not as expected at the time, Hartung became one of the first well-known figures on a national scale to publicly disclose a positive COVID-19 diagnosis.
Kaylee had no chest pains or breathing difficulties. She didn’t even sneeze. However, I did feel shivering, a severe headache, and congestion.
Hartung, on the other hand, was able to recover from his illness. She has subsequently joined Amazon Prime Video as an ABC correspondent to an NFL sideline reporter. Her eyes appear to be healthy now, and she appears wonderful on the television.
Hartung’s eyes are naturally brown, and they complement her hair nicely. She is regarded as one of the most attractive journalists in the United States.
Fans Reactions To Kaylee Hartung’s Eye
Kaylee Hartung’s fans took to Twitter and other social media platforms in 2020 to discuss her eye. Some of her images have also become memes. However, the majority of her fans’ responses were about her recuperation.
Kaylee’s eye has been impacted by the worldwide Covid-19 epidemic. To satisfy her followers’ interest, she appeared on Good Morning America to address her symptoms, stating she had a headache between her eyes. She ultimately recovered and resumed her job.
Surprisingly, a search on Twitter reveals that Kaylee’s eyes were long before noted by her followers. One of her followers wrote in 2015: “I’m not sure what it is about Kaylee Hartung’s lazy eye that makes it so stunning, but it is. Strange, I know.”
Likewise, @madridistanole tweeted, “Kaylee Hartung is extremely hot…lazy eye and all.”
“Kaylee Hartung is a pretty girl, but why couldn’t she open her left eye during that interview with Ken Hill?” another commenter asked.
Is Kaylee Hartung Married?
Kaylee Hartung dated American football star Tim Tebow, who spent three seasons as a quarterback for teams such as the Denver Broncos and the New York Jets.1
When Kaylee began working for ESPN between 2012 and 2017, and Tim was also recruited in the studio, various allegations began to circulate around them.
They became excellent friends, and Kaylee backed Tim at a charity event in 2017 called the Foundation Celebrity Gala & Golf Classic. As a result, they were photographed at the occasion.
The #TNFonPrime regular season finale is live from Chicago! https://t.co/179ZkGPSRd
— Kaylee Hartung (@KayleeHartung) December 27, 2024
When Tim shared several photos of himself with Hartung in 2015, rumours spread on the internet, but the journalist dispelled them, claiming that Tim was more like a brother to her.
Nonetheless, Kaylee’s romantic history remains a mystery; there were reports that she once had a girlfriend.
Kaylee stated in 2013 that she would only date someone who shared her sports enthusiasm. She places a high priority on her appearance. As a result, a well-groomed appearance will always win her over.
Kaylee Hartung’s Career Timeline
Hartung graduated from Washington & Lee University in Virginia. She holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in journalism and politics.
Her journalism career began as the aide to veteran Washington correspondent Bob Schieffer. Because of her assistant role with Schieffer, she landed a job at CBS News as a daily Washington Unplugged show reporter and a featured correspondent for Unplugged Under 40.
The 36-year-old journalist formerly worked for CNN and ESPN, as well as the SEC Network. While working for ESPN, she took part in a number of live events and was a regular on SportsCenter.
The reporter, who has more than ten years of television experience, is now joining the NFL team, according to The Sun.
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Kaylee Hartung’s Family Life
Kaylee Hartung has a close relationship with her family members. Joe Hartung (father) and Julie Tucker are her parents (mother).
Joe Hartung, Hartung’s father, was a World War II airforce pilot. Unfortunately, he died in a car accident at one of his gigs in Lafayette in 1996. Despite living far away from her late father, Hartung remembers him fondly, and on the occasion of Joe’s 70th birthday, she sent a touching tribute to him on Instagram.
She captioned the shot on Instagram and shared a childhood photo. She stated: “I would have given anything to be able to celebrate my father’s 70th birthday with him today. When you lose a loved one, some days are more difficult than others, notably birthdays and anniversaries.”
“My father died 25 years ago, but the older I become and the longer he’s been gone, the harder it is for me to take inspiration from him on these important days – to make sure I’m living my life in a way that would make him proud. I’m doing my best, Dad. I adore you.”
Hartung is close to her mother, Julie Tucker, in addition to her father. She also has a brother named Tyler Hartung, who is a social entrepreneur and financier.
What’s New With Kaylee Hartung?
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Still TNF’s Sideline Reporter: Hartung continues to work with Al Michaels and Kirk Herbstreit on Amazon’s Thursday Night Football.
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TODAY Show / NBC News: She is listed as a contributing (national) correspondent for NBC’s TODAY Show and continues to appear on NBC Sports’ NFL coverage.
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Sports Emmy Recognition: In 2025, Hartung earned her second-straight Sports Emmy nomination for Outstanding Personality/Sideline Reporter. (Winners were to be announced on May 20, 2025.) 2
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Industry Profile & Features: In late 2024, she spoke openly about initially feeling “self‑conscious” stepping into the TNF role and how she worked to quickly build deep NFL knowledge. 3
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Draft Coverage Expansion (2024): She also handled NFL Draft interview duties in Detroit in 2024, underscoring how networks increasingly trust her in live, high‑pressure roles.4
Quick Facts
| Field | Detail |
|---|---|
| Full Name | Kaylee Hartung |
| Born | November 7, 1985 – Baton Rouge, Louisiana |
| Education | B.A. in Journalism & Politics, Washington & Lee University |
| Current Roles (2025) | Sideline Reporter, TNF on Prime Video; Contributing Correspondent, NBC’s TODAY Show |
| Known For | High-profile reporting across ESPN, CNN, ABC News, NBC News & Amazon Prime Video |
| Marital Status | Not married / private |
| Social | Instagram: @kayleehartung |
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FAQs
1) Did Kaylee Hartung have an eye injury?
No permanent injury. In 2020, after testing positive for COVID‑19, she experienced eye pain and used medication that briefly made one eye appear slightly off. She fully recovered.
2) Does she still work on Thursday Night Football?
Yes. As of 2025, she remains Amazon Prime Video’s TNF sideline reporter.
3) Is she with NBC, too?
Yes. She’s a contributing correspondent for NBC’s TODAY Show and appears on NBC Sports’ NFL coverage.
4) Did she receive any recent awards or nominations?
In 2025, Hartung received her second consecutive Sports Emmy nomination for Outstanding Personality/Sideline Reporter.5
5) Is Kaylee Hartung married?
No—she has not publicly shared any marriage or current relationship.
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