Samantha Ponder Steps Down from ESPN Thursday Night Sideline Role

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Took this picture during halftime of an ASU/WSU game 2 years ago because an hour before game time I found out I was pregnant with Scout. It was the most nervous I've ever been doing a game because I couldn't stop thinking about how my life was about to change. All that to say, I decided to hang up my sideline reporter... uh... flats(?) so that I can spend more time investing in my husband, daughter and new dreams. Taking Scout away from her dad 5 days a week was incredibly difficult for me and Christian but I wanted to honor the commitment I made. Thank you to everyone w/Thursday Night Football & everyone at every school we covered who treated me with respect and kindness. I will never forget the last 4 years of games and more importantly, relationships. I will still be annoying you all day Friday & Saturday on CFBLive, Sportscenter & College Gameday. Thanks for all your support in this exciting new time for me and my family. ❤️

A post shared by Sam Steele Ponder (@samanthaponder) on Aug 13, 2015 at 6:59pm PDT

Samantha Ponder posted an update to her Instagram page on the eve of the 2015 college football season saying she’ll no longer work as a sideline reporter during Thursday night ESPN telecasts. Ponder said she wants to spend time with family which includes her young daughter, Bowden who was born in 2014 and named after Florida State coach Bobby Bowden.

Ponder wrote:

"I decided to hang up my sideline reporter… uh… flats(?) so that I can spend more time investing in my husband, daughter and new dreams. Taking Scout away from her dad 5 days a week was incredibly difficult for me and Christian but I wanted to honor the commitment I made. Thank you to everyone w/Thursday Night Football & everyone at every school we covered who treated me with respect and kindness."

Later on Ponder, who is married to Raiders quarterback Christian Ponder, mentioned she’ll still be involved with ESPN’s college football coverage, including Gameday on Saturdays. She joined ESPN in 2011 and began working Thursday night games in 2012.

Ponder talked to Sports Illustrated in December about his she managed to juggle her professional and personal life during the football season.

ESPN’s first Thursday night game in 2015 is North Carolina at South Carolina on Sept. 6. ESPN’s Thursday broadcast team this season is Joe Tessitore with David Pollack, Jesse Palmer and Kaylee Hartung.