Samantha Ponder is an American sports commentator best known for hosting Sunday NFL Countdown on ESPN from 2017 to August 2024. Samantha Ponder has hit the headlines recently after ESPN fired her reportedly due to budgetary cuts. She has since not confirmed any details regarding her new job.

• ESPN fired her in August 2024, citing budget cuts.
• Samantha has not yet announced her next steps or plans, since she left ESPN.
• She married former NFL quarterback Christian Ponder in 2012.

The American sportscaster was born Samantha Sainte-Claire Steele in Phoenix, Arizona, United States, but currently resides in New York City, New York, United States. She is an American national of white ethnicity.

Samantha Ponder’s parents are Cindi Steele and Jerry Steele. Her father was a professional player and a retired coach. The broadcaster grew up alongside two siblings, brothers named Barron and Jerrod Jefferson.

Samantha went to Central High School in Phoenix. She pursued her higher education at The King’s College in New York City and Liberty University in Lynchburg, where she was a sideline television reporter for football and men’s and women’s basketball.

The New York-based sports commentator is 39 years old as of 2025. She was born on 11 December 1985. Her zodiac sign is Sagittarius.

Samantha Ponder’s career began with roles at Fox Sports Net and Fox College Sports, where she covered collegiate sports. In July 2011, she joined ESPN’s Longhorn Network Thursday Night College Football, as a sideline reporter. She later became the host of ESPN’s College GameDay and co-hosted other editions of the show.

Ponder also served as a reporter for ABC’s Saturday Night Football with Chris Fowler and Kirk Herbstreit in 2016. In 2017, she became the third host of Sunday NFL Countdown, becoming just the third person to hold the position in its 32-year history.

Why did Samantha Ponder leave ESPN?

Samantha Ponder was reportedly fired by ESPN due to financial reasons and broader cost-cutting efforts as the network approached the end of its financial year in September 2024. However, some former sports reporters have speculated that her strong views on fairness in women's sports as evidence of their motive to cut ties.

Ponder was fired, along with NFL analyst Robert Griffin III, with two years left on a five-year contract. Ponder has yet to address the situation with ESPN publicly. Mike Greenberg is currently the host of ESPN's Sunday NFL Countdown.

What is Samantha Ponder doing now?

As of February 2025, Samantha Ponder has not announced any new roles since leaving ESPN in August 2024.

According to The Sun and Pro Football Network, the American sports commentator has an alleged net worth of between $15 million and $16 million. She has accumulated this wealth primarily through her career in sports broadcasting.

How much does Sam Ponder make?

According to Front Office Sports, Sam Ponder reportedly earned over $3 million annually as the host of Sunday NFL Countdown on ESPN. She signed a three-year contract with ESPN in March 2022. The deal was worth approximately $3 million for three years.

The American sideline reporter has been married to Christian Ponder for over a decade. Samantha Ponder’s husband is a former professional football player who was a quarterback in the NFL. He played for the Minnesota Vikings, Oakland Raiders, Denver Broncos, and San Francisco 49ers.

Samantha and Christian began dating in 2012 and tied the knot on 17 December 2012 in Hudson, Wisconsin. Together, they have three children: Bowden Sainte-Claire Ponder, born in July 2014, Robinson True Ponder, born on 20 June 2017 and Price, born in July 2018. The family of five resides in New York City, New York, United States.

On 11 September 2022, during an interview with TwinCities, when asked how she met her husband, she stated:

He started sending me messages on Twitter. I’m like, “Why is this old Florida State quarterback messaging me? This is weird.” He was always asking me random questions about living in Austin. Nothing creepy, but that was our original connection. Our version of Christian Mingle was on Twitter.

The American sports journalist stands at 5 feet 6 inches or 168 centimetres tall. She weighs approximately 128 pounds or 58 kilograms.

Since leaving ESPN in August 2024 due to budget cuts, many have wondered about Samantha Ponder’s next move. As of now, she has not announced any new job plans. Ponder is best known for hosting Sunday NFL Countdown and previously worked as a reporter and host for ESPN College Football.

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Source: Legit.ng