Sam Ponder Shows True Character With Comment On Kirk Herbstreit
Sam Ponder, the former Sunday NFL Countdown host and College GameDay reporter, was fired by ESPN ahead of the 2024 football season. It would be understandable for the Liberty University graduate to hold some animosity toward the network and her former colleagues, given how her tenure at ESPN ended.
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The New York City resident hasn't worked in TV since she was fired. Some have speculated that Ponder, who leans right on many social and political issues, was let go due to her politics. ESPN maintains that she was let go due to budgetary cuts, as she was making north of $1 million to host a once-a-week show in the fall.
'I don't believe that anything is just budget cuts anymore,' former NFL sideline reporter Michele Tafoya, who worked at ESPN from 2000-2011, said. 'I think that they clearly wanted to find an off-ramp for Sam. What's troubling to me is the timing.
'This is three weeks before the NFL season begins. Her show, Sunday NFL Countdown, is coming off its best ratings year in quite some time. So I don't know why they would do this so close to the season and bring so much attention, unless they want to bring in the next host and give that host a lot of attention.'
MINNEAPOLIS, MN - FEBRUARY 02: Samantha Ponder speaks at Inside the Game Q&A presented by IFA on February 2, 2018 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (Photo by Thaddaeus McAdams/WireImage)Ponder, though, showed her true character this week, when she was asked about her time at ESPN, specifically College GameDay. She had nothing but good things to say.
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"Do you ever talk to the college gameday guys anymore?" a fan asked Ponder.
She responded: "David Pollack is stuck with me as the big brother I never (jk) wanted, and I was texting with Kirk Herbstreit the day before I got fired. 🤣 Rece Davis is my forever favorite. I'll never forget how all 3 of them loved Jesus and treated people. I will be a college gameday fan as long as they continue to make it about the people. It's such a special show."
It would be understandable if Ponder, who is enjoying time off while raising her three kids in New York, had negative things to say about ESPN - or her former colleagues. However, she chose to take the high road, doing nothing but complimenting her former show and network.
Ponder is rightfully being praised for her classy remarks on Herbstreit and the rest of the College GameDay crew.
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The ESPN college football pregame show, meanwhile, will get back on the air on Saturday, Aug. 30, live from Columbus.
Sam Ponder Shows True Character With Comment On Kirk Herbstreit first appeared on The Spun on Jun 26, 2025
This story was originally reported by The Spun on Jun 26, 2025, where it first appeared.
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