ESPN’s firing of Sam Ponder just weeks before the start of the 2024 NFL season left the network without a host for its Sunday NFL Countdown show.The Worldwide Leader, however, has already settled on a replacement, announcing that Mike Greenberg is set to take over hosting duties for its weekly NFL Sunday show.
The Athletic’s Andrew Marchand first reported the news.
Ponder’s firing — along with NFL analyst Robert Griffin III’s — reportedly came as the result of budgetary reasons. But with Ponder set to still receive the more than $1 million that remained on her contract, Marchand noted ESPN’s desire to promote Greenberg to the front of its NFL coverage as the network prepares to host its first Super Bowl in 2027 also played a role.
Greenberg and NFL Live host Laura Rutledge stood out as the two most obvious candidates to replace Ponder following her firing, with Marchand’s reporting indicating that was the case. While Rutledge is considered a rising star at ESPN, Marchand also pointed out this marks the second time she has been passed over for a promotion in as many years, with the first being when Scott Van Pelt was named the new host of Monday Night Countdown ahead of the 2023 NFL season.
The 57-year-old Greenberg is obviously a favorite of ESPN’s and it’s hardly a surprise that the network would want him at the forefront of its NFL coverage moving forward. In addition to anchoring the daily morning show Get Up, the former Mike & Mike co-host hosts the daily Greeny radio program and has hosted ESPN’s NFL Draft coverage since 2021. He previously served as the host for the network’s NBA pregame show, NBA Countdown, from 2021 until Malika Andrews took over as the program’s host last season.
Joining Greenberg on the set for Sunday NFL Countdown this coming season will be analysts Randy Moss, Ted Bruschi, Rex Ryan and Alex Smith, as well as NFL insider Adam Schefter. While Greeny getting yet another premier ESPN gig will likely be polarizing, it should at least put to rest some of the speculation regarding Ponder’s unexpected firing.
[The Athletic, ESPN]
About Ben Axelrod
Ben Axelrod is a veteran of the sports media landscape, having most recently worked for NBC's Cleveland affiliate, WKYC. Prior to his time in Cleveland, he covered Ohio State football and the Big Ten for outlets including Cox Media Group, Bleacher Report, Scout and Rivals.