Former ESPN host Samantha Ponder is returning to the media spotlight with a new appearance on Fox News, more than two years after her departure from the sports network.
Ponder will appear on the premiere episode of “the Girls,” a new all-female roundtable podcast launching Thursday, Oct. 1.
Fox News announced the program Monday as part of a broader expansion of its digital and podcast operations.
The debut episode will feature Ponder alongside “Fox & Friends Weekend” co-host Rachel Campos-Duffy, “The Faulkner Focus” anchor Harris Faulkner, “Gutfeld!” panelist Kat Timpf and newly named Fox News contributor Melissa DeRosa.
DeRosa previously served as secretary to former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D) and is now a Democratic strategist.
That gives the first episode a mix of voices from sports, television, politics, comedy and government.
Fox said the podcast will not feature a permanent panel.
Instead, different women from inside and outside Fox News Media will rotate through the program each week.
Topics are expected to include politics, pop culture, careers, parenting, relationships, marriage and money.
The company is positioning the show as a more relaxed and unscripted alternative to a traditional television roundtable.
“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,” Fox News executive Megan Albano said in announcing the program.
Fox News Digital and New Media President Porter Berry also described the show as a natural addition to the company’s growing podcast operation.
New episodes are expected to be released every Thursday across several major podcast and video platforms.
For Ponder, the appearance marks one of her highest-profile media returns since ESPN ended its relationship with her in August 2024.
Ponder had spent nearly 13 years at ESPN and became one of the network’s most recognizable football personalities.
She joined the company through the Longhorn Network in 2011 before working as a college football reporter.
Ponder later appeared on “College GameDay” before taking over as host of “Sunday NFL Countdown” in 2017.
She succeeded longtime host Chris Berman and remained in that role for years.
Her run ended in August 2024 when ESPN laid her off alongside former NFL quarterback and analyst Robert Griffin III, per the Conservative Brief.
The decision attracted significant attention because Ponder still had time remaining on her contract.
Reports at the time said ESPN’s move was part of broader cost-cutting efforts.
Ponder’s departure was therefore widely characterized as a layoff rather than a disciplinary action.
ESPN later replaced her on “Sunday NFL Countdown” with longtime network personality Mike Greenberg.
The move nevertheless became politically charged because Ponder had publicly spoken out on cultural issues, including transgender participation in women’s sports.
Ponder had argued that women’s athletic categories should be based on biological sex.
She also publicly supported former University of Kentucky swimmer Riley Gaines, who has become a prominent advocate for restrictions on transgender athletes competing in women’s sports.
After Ponder’s departure, Gaines and several former ESPN personalities questioned whether her public views played any role in the network’s decision.
Former NFL reporter Michele Tafoya similarly expressed skepticism that budget concerns alone explained the move.
The source, however, says people familiar with ESPN’s decision maintained that the layoff was financially motivated.
Ponder’s Fox News appearance now brings her back into a major media environment after an extended period away from a regular national television role.
Whether the appearance develops into a larger relationship with Fox remains unclear.
For now, her role is tied to the premiere of “the Girls,” giving the former ESPN host a prominent platform for her return to the media spotlight.
