Laura Rutledge promoted to ESPN's No. 1 ‘Monday Night Football' crew
The 'NFL Live' host will now have a permanent role on ESPN's No. 1 'Monday Night Football' crew, joining Lisa Salters on sideline duties throughout the 2025 season, the network announced Tuesday.
Rutledge and Salters, whose contract was extended, will work all 20 games with Joe Buck and Troy Aikman in the booth — 17 'Monday Night Football' games, one of the games on ESPN's Saturday Week 18 doubleheader, a wild-card game and a divisional round game.
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3 Laura Rutledge has been elevated to sideline duty on ESPN's top 'Monday Night Football' broadcast.
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''Monday Night Football' is the pinnacle and it's always been a dream of mine,' Rutledge told The Athletic. 'I still get chills every time I hear the 'MNF' music. Really excited to continue to work as hard as possible to earn this role.'
The 36-year-old Rutledge, a former Miss Florida pageant winner, has previously worked select games as a second sideline reporter on the No. 1 'MNF' broadcast and has credited Salters with helping her growth.
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3 Laura Rutledge (l.) interviewing Texans running back Joe Mixon (r.) after a game against the Cowboys on Nov. 18, 2024.
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'To even see my name next to Lisa Salters, is an honor,' Rutledge said in a 2024 ESPN Front Row profile. 'For years now, she has been such a wonderful mentor and friend to me.'
The promotion means Rutledge, whose contract was extended in February, is set to report from the sidelines when the ESPN crew broadcasts Super Bowl 2027.
3 Laura Rutledge (r.) with Texas football coach Steve Sarkisian (l.) at Disney Upfronts on May 13, 2025.
Disney via Getty Images
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Rutledge will continue to host 'NFL Live' on weekday afternoons, along with 'SEC Nation' on Saturday mornings before the slate of college football games kicks off.
Katie George and Peter Schrager, who joined ESPN earlier this year, will handle sideline duties for the network's No. 2 'Monday Night Football' crew.
They'll join the booth of Chris Fowler, Dan Orlovsky and Louis Riddick for five games in 2025 — four 'MNF' doubleheaders and the second game of the Week 18 Saturday doubleheader.
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