Ex-ESPN host opens up on former colleagues a year after being fired amid Olympics’ trans boxer controversy

By ALEX RASKIN

Sam Ponder’s departure from ESPN didn’t end her relationship with her on-air College GameDay cohosts thanks to their shared faith, the broadcaster revealed on social media.

‘I’ll never forget how all 3 of them loved Jesus and treated people,’ wrote Ponder, a mother of three and the wife of former NFL quarterback Christian Ponder. ‘I will be a “college gameday” fan as long as they continue to make it about the people. It’s such a special show.’

Specifically, Ponder was referring to colleagues, Kirk Herbstreit, Rece Davis and David Pollack.

‘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,’ Ponder, 39, wrote in the post, uncovered by Athlon Sports. ‘Rece Davis is my forever favorite.’

Ponder was let go in August of 2024 amid a series of layoffs at ESPN. She still had one year left on her three-year, $3 million deal, but was supposed to receiver her full salary, Daily Mail learned at the time. Although a source told Daily Mail the timing of her dismissal was dictated by the end of the 2024 fiscal year, skeptics claimed she was fired over her condemnation of trans athletes in female sports.

The story emerged amid controversy surrounding Algerian boxer Imane Khelif at the 2024 Paris Games. The Russian-led International Boxing Association (IBA) claimed Khelif failed a gender test at a 2023 competition leading many to criticize the IOC for permitting her to compete at the Olympics, where the 26-year-old ultimately won gold. The IBA claims remain in dispute.

Samantha Ponder and Kirk Herbstreit speak onstage during the 50th annual CMA Awards

Sam Ponder also praised ESPN’s Rece Davis (left) and David Pollack (right) online 

Imane Khelif was accused of being transgender, but those claims remain unproven 

Herbstreit, the former Ohio State quarterback and long-time football analyst, was asked on X in 2024 if ‘men belong in women’s sports,’ to which he replied: ‘Of course not. Ridiculous question.’

Herbstreit was not fired or publicly reprimanded by the network over the comment, which Ponder applauded online before adding: ‘XY = male XX = female.’

Curiously, Ponder was let go by ESPN at the same time as NFL analyst Robert Griffin III, who took an opposing stance on that exact issue.

‘Imane Khelif is a biological woman and if you want to protect our daughters, you should protect her,’ Griffin wrote on X about Khelif. ‘If you don’t do the research to find the truth, then we should be protected from you.’

Griffin’s dismissal led to similar suspicions that ESPN fired him over his opinion on Khelif.

‘Did ESPN fire RG3 for this piece on Imane Khelif?’ asked journalist Chuck Modi on X. ‘Or something else?’

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Ex-ESPN host opens up on former colleagues a year after being fired amid Olympics’ trans boxer controversy

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