Who is Laura Rutledge? Meet ESPN's new ‘Monday Night Football' sideline star shaking up the broadcast game
This
NFL
season, ESPN's 'Monday Night Football' sidelines are getting a high-profile boost. Veteran host and reporter Laura Rutledge will join the network's lead broadcast team as a permanent sideline reporter, working alongside longtime veteran Lisa Salters for all 20 games called by Joe Buck, Troy Aikman, and Salters.
The move cements Rutledge's presence in ESPN's most prestigious NFL property — one that will culminate in the network's first-ever Super Bowl broadcast in February 2027.
ESPN names Laura Rutledge as lead '
Monday Night Football
' sideline reporter in biggest career move yet
Laura Rutledge, who signed a contract extension earlier this year, is no stranger to NFL sidelines, but this marks her first full-time season with the No. 1 'MNF' crew. The 36-year-old will juggle this assignment with her weekday duties hosting NFL Live.
On Mondays, the show will now air directly from the game site, adding a live-event energy to the pregame coverage.
'Monday Night Football is the pinnacle and it's always been a dream of mine,' Rutledge said. '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.'
Her promotion also comes with a milestone — she is expected to be on the sidelines when ESPN's top crew calls Super Bowl LXI in 2027.
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For Rutledge, who joined ESPN at 25, the journey has been both fast-paced and deeply rewarding. 'This place has meant a lot to me. I've been here since I was 25, and I'm 35 now. It's almost 10 years, and it has gone by in seemingly a blink of an eye,' she reflected.
ESPN deepens its sideline lineup
While Rutledge takes on her expanded role, Salters — entering her 14th season as ESPN's lead NFL sideline reporter — has also secured a contract extension. The pairing brings together two respected journalists who have developed a strong mentor-mentee relationship.
'To even see my name next to Lisa Salters is an honor,' Rutledge shared in an earlier ESPN profile.
The network has also bolstered its No. 2 'MNF' crew, adding Katie George and Peter Schrager to work alongside Chris Fowler, Dan Orlovsky, and Louis Riddick for select games, including four doubleheader weeks and the Week 18 Saturday split.
For Rutledge, the upcoming season will demand balance between her live-event duties and her established studio presence. But with her career trajectory and passion for big-stage moments, it's clear she's stepping into exactly where she's meant to be — in the heart of the NFL's biggest games.
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'Overhyped and overrated': Josh Allen's wife Hailee Steinfeld faces harsh criticism from Dave Portnoy
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Time of India
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- Time of India
This man just gave KU $300 million, the largest gift in school history. Who exactly is David Booth? Here's his story
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Time of India
an hour ago
- Time of India
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Their story has been described as having all the makings of a Hollywood blockbuster — the romance of an all-American football star and a global pop icon. July 8, 2023 Travis Kelce attended one of Taylor Swift's 'Eras Tour' concerts in the summer of 2023 with a plan to get the singer's attention. On the July 26, 2023, episode of New Heights, he explained that he made a friendship bracelet with his phone number on it and intended to give it to Swift at the concert. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like TV providers are furious: this gadget gives you access to all channels Techno Mag Learn More Undo Source: Getty Images 'I was disappointed that she doesn't talk before or after her shows because she has to save her voice for the 44 songs that she sings. So I was a little butt-hurt I didn't get to hand her one of the bracelets I made for her,' Kelce said. 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When she acts like that, I better not be the one acting all strange.' Dec. 6, 2023 Named Time's Person of the Year for 2023, Swift broke her silence about dating Travis Kelce. She revealed they started seeing each other after he 'adorably put me on blast' on the New Heights podcast. 'We started hanging out right after that,' she said. 'So we actually had a significant amount of time that no one knew, which I'm grateful for, because we got to get to know each other.' By the time she attended her first Chiefs game on Sept. 24, they were already together. 'We would never be psychotic enough to hard-launch a first date,' she said. Swift contrasted their openness with her prior relationship with Joe Alwyn. 'When you say a relationship is public, that means I'm going to see him do what he loves, we're showing up for each other, other people are there and we don't care. The opposite of that is you have to go to an extreme amount of effort to make sure no one knows that you're seeing someone. And we're just proud of each other.' April 19, 2024 Swift's YouTube Short promoting The Tortured Poets Department showed Kelce kissing her cheek. Other clips featured her in a University of Kansas shirt, frosting cinnamon rolls, playing pickleball, yachting with friends, and visiting Singapore's Gardens by the Bay with Kelce. June 23, 2024 Travis Kelce made a surprise cameo onstage during one of Taylor Swift's 'Eras Tour' concerts at Wembley Stadium in London. During the June 23 show, Kelce, dressed in a black suit and top hat, appeared onstage alongside Swift and several dancers during her performance of 'I Can Do It With a Broken Heart.' Source: Getty Images The football pro joined the dancers to perform a pantomime routine that showed them trying to get Swift ready for the rest of her show. The crowd cheered as Kelce picked up Swift at one point and carried her around the stage. Sept. 11, 2024 When Swift won video of the year at the 2024 MTV Video Music Awards for her song 'Fortnight' featuring Post Malone, she used her speech to thank her team, fans, and Travis Kelce. 'Something that I'll always remember is that when I would finish a take... I would always just hear someone like, cheering from across the studio where we were shooting it,' Swift said while recalling the music video shoot. 'And that one person was my boyfriend, Travis.' 'Everything this man touches turns to happiness and fun and magic,' she continued. 'So I want to thank him for adding that to our shoot, because I'll always remember that.' Feb. 6, 2025 A few days before the 2025 Super Bowl, Travis Kelce's father, Ed, did an interview with Today Australia where he shared his thoughts on how the couple will use their free time after the game. 'I think, you know, we get past the Super Bowl it's going to be a very good period of time for the two of them,' he said. 'Without the NFL season, without the 'Eras Tour.' Just them alone really connecting more and I think that can only be a good thing. " June 24, 2025 Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce attended their first red carpet event together in June 2025 when they appeared at his Tight Ends & Friends concert at the Brooklyn Bowl Nashville concert hall. Travis Kelce's organization, Tight End University, which he founded with fellow athletes George and Greg Olsen, holds the annual event to bring together tight end players for a bonding experience. During the evening, Swift took the stage to strum her guitar and sing her 1989 hit song 'Shake It Off.' Fans captured videos of Swift performing for the crowd and receiving a roaring applause after. July 24, 2025 Source: Getty Images To cap off his NFL offseason, Travis Kelce shared a carousel of photos to his Instagram July 24, including multiple pictures of his vacations with Swift. The post marked the first time that he uploaded snaps of the couple to the social media platform. One photo showed him donning a "Captain" hat while she complimented him in a "First Mate" cap. In another picture, the couple matched in all black while enjoying a night out at dinner. The two also took a snowy trip with reporter Erin Andrews, her husband, Jarret Stoll, and sportscasters Steven Cundari and Charissa Thompson. Travis Kelce included more snaps of the pair spending time with friends and one of him and Swift playing hockey on an ice skating rink. "Had some adventures this offseason, kept it 100." Aug. 12, 2025 Travis Kelce opened up about his relationship with Taylor Swift and sharing the spotlight for the past two years in an interview with GQ. The star athlete, who is the magazine's September cover star, said about their romance, "I get to be the plus one. I get to go and be that fan. Because I am a fan." He added, "I'm a fan of the music. I'm a fan of art. And it's so cool that I get to experience her being that plus one for me on the football field. I feel that same enjoyment every time she comes to my shows." As for the attention the couple gets, Travis Kelce said, "You can't block that (attention) out. If someone says something that they don't like about you, you have to be able to understand how you are portraying yourself for them to say that." He further explained, "I'm a guy who doesn't want anyone to say anything negative about me. Some people don't give a f—. I'm someone who does care. I do want people to look at me like I'm doing good in the world. I'm influencing and being somebody that has done it the right way." He also revealed some traits that his girlfriend shares with his mom, complimenting both for their kindness, authenticity, and work ethic. Aug. 13, 2025 After teasing a special guest on the next episode of their podcast by simply sharing a silhouette of a woman, Travis and Jason Kelce waited a few hours before confirming Taylor Swift would make an appearance on their show. A clip was added to "New Heights'" social media accounts that showed Travis Kelce and Swift sitting side by side as she marveled, "We're about to do a f---ing podcast?!" Around the same time, a countdown also popped up on Swift's official website with the message, "EXPIRES AUGUST 12 AT 12:12 A.M" against an orange, sparkly background. Swifties immediately began to speculate on social media what the pop star had up her sleeve. As soon as the countdown expired, Swift and "New Heights" shared a snippet of her announcing her 12th album: "The Life of a Showgirl." "I wanted to show you something," she told Jason Kelce before unveiling a mint green briefcase. 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Time of India
an hour ago
- Time of India
Florida Panthers face an uncertain situation with Matthew Tkachuk's surgery
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