Samantha Ponder is an American sportscaster who is the host of Sunday NFL Countdown on ESPN.
Ponder attended Central High School in Phoenix. Ponder first attended The King’s College in New York City after high school. She transferred to Liberty University after Liberty’s Sr. Sports Producer Bruce Carey offered her a job as a sideline reporter for the Liberty Flames sports television network.
Prior to hosting Sunday NFL Countdown, Ponder worked as a reporter/host for ESPN college football and as a basketball sideline reporter. Ponder replaced Erin Andrews on College GameDay Saturdays at 10 AM ET on ESPN, as well as co-host of the Saturday 9 AM ET edition on ESPNU.
Ponder is a Christian. After a brief courtship, she married then-Minnesota Vikings quarterback Christian Ponder on December 17, 2012, in Hudson, Wisconsin. In July 2014, the couple had their first daughter, Bowden Sainte-Claire “Scout”. They also have a son, Robinson True, born in June 2017, and a daughter, Price Anne-Drew, born in July 2018.
Is Samantha Ponder still on NFL Countdown?
Sam Ponder to remain as ESPN’s “NFL Countdown” host with a new three-year deal. Countdown” host Sam Ponder has “agreed to a new three-year contract for a total of $3 million and change,” according to Andrew Marchand of the N.Y. POST