Former ESPN Star Makes Debut On Fox News

Former ESPN host Samantha Ponder will appear on the debut episode of a new Fox News Media podcast, returning to a prominent media platform more than two years after her departure from the sports network sparked questions about its treatment of outspoken conservative voices.

Ponder, who hosted “Sunday NFL Countdown” before ESPN laid her off in August 2024, will join the opening panel of “the Girls,” an all-female roundtable launching Thursday, Oct. 1.

Fox announced the program Monday as it continues expanding its digital and podcast offerings.

The announcement confirms Ponder’s participation in the premiere. It does not establish that she has accepted a permanent role at Fox or joined the company as an employee.

Her appearance will put her alongside several familiar Fox personalities: “Fox & Friends Weekend” co-host Rachel Campos-Duffy, “The Faulkner Focus” anchor Harris Faulkner and “Gutfeld!” panelist Kat Timpf.

Newly appointed Fox News contributor Melissa DeRosa will also participate. A Democratic strategist, DeRosa previously served as secretary to former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo and was the first woman to hold that position.

The inaugural lineup brings together backgrounds in sports broadcasting, journalism, comedy, politics and government. Fox plans to change that mix regularly rather than build the podcast around a fixed group of hosts.

Women from within Fox News Media and guests from outside the company will rotate through the weekly conversations.

Topics will extend beyond Washington to include popular culture, professional life, parenting, relationships, marriage and personal finances. Fox describes the format as unscripted and conversational, with fewer constraints than a conventional television news panel.

“We’re excited to deliver a no-holds-barred format that captures the authenticity and perspectives of the many dynamic women of FOX News Media and beyond,” said Megan Albano, the company’s executive vice president of morning programming and program development.

Fox News Digital and New Media President Porter Berry described the show as a “natural addition” to the company’s expanding podcast business.

Episodes will arrive each Thursday on Fox News Digital, YouTube, Spotify, Apple Podcasts and other major podcast services.

For Ponder, the launch offers a high-profile opportunity following the abrupt end of a lengthy ESPN career.

She spent nearly 13 years at the network, building a reputation through college football coverage before taking over one of its flagship NFL programs.

Her ESPN tenure began in 2011 with the Longhorn Network. She subsequently worked as a college football reporter and appeared on “College GameDay,” becoming an increasingly recognizable presence in the network’s football coverage.

In 2017, Ponder succeeded longtime host Chris Berman on “Sunday NFL Countdown.” She remained in that role until August 2024, when ESPN dismissed her alongside former NFL quarterback and analyst Robert Griffin III.

The decision attracted attention both because Ponder still had time left on her contract and because she had publicly challenged the inclusion of biological males in women’s sports.

People familiar with ESPN’s decision said the layoffs were driven by the company’s effort to reduce costs. Her dismissal was widely reported as a financial decision rather than disciplinary action.

ESPN subsequently installed longtime network personality Mike Greenberg as the host of “Sunday NFL Countdown.”

That explanation did not resolve the controversy surrounding Ponder’s departure.

She had argued that women’s athletic divisions should be protected on the basis of biological sex and publicly supported former University of Kentucky swimmer Riley Gaines, a leading advocate for restrictions on transgender participation in women’s sports.

Those positions made Ponder a notable voice in a debate that sports broadcasters and leagues have often struggled to navigate.

After ESPN let her go, Gaines questioned whether Ponder’s views had influenced the decision. Former ESPN personality Sage Steele also raised concerns about a possible connection between Ponder’s public positions and her dismissal.

Former NFL reporter Michele Tafoya likewise expressed doubt that budget pressures fully accounted for ESPN’s action. Tafoya is now running as the Republican nominee for a U.S. Senate seat in Minnesota in November.

Those objections remain distinct from the reported financial rationale. The questions raised by Ponder’s supporters did not establish that ESPN fired her because of her views.

They did, however, make her departure part of a larger argument about whether prominent sports media figures can challenge progressive positions without jeopardizing their careers.

Ponder’s upcoming appearance gives her another platform as that debate continues. Fox’s promised format will allow its participants to discuss subjects well beyond the football field, including the cultural and professional issues that have shaped Ponder’s public profile.

For now, viewers can expect her on the premiere episode Thursday. Whether that appearance develops into a recurring presence has not been announced.