Sam Ponder is a young, strong, ambitious woman: a perfect example of “Hard work pays off.” For those unknown, Ponder is an American sports commentator, and host for ESPN and NFL Sunday Countdown.
Indeed, it hasn’t always been easy for her; she struggled and faced many problems initially. But Sam did not let her doubts, struggles, and obstacles come in her way to success.
No wonder Samantha is an inspiration to many young girls who want to do something in their life.
Today, in this article, we will dive into the life of Sam Ponder and discuss her early life, career, love life, achievements, education, and many more.
But before we start, let us have an instant glance at the quick facts.
Sam Ponder: Quick Facts
| Full Name | Samantha Sainte-Claire Steele |
| Birth Date | December 11, 1985 |
| Birth Place | Phoenix, Arizona, United States |
| Nick Name | Sam |
| Religion | Christianity |
| Nationality | American |
| Ethnicity | White |
| Education |
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| Horoscope | Sagittarius |
| Name of Father | Jerry Steele |
| Name of Mother | Cindi Steele |
| Siblings |
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| Age | [calculate_years datestring=”12/11/1985″] years old |
| Height | 5’6″ (168 cm) |
| Weight | 58 kg (128 lbs) |
| Hair Color | Blonde |
| Eye Color | Blue |
| Body Measurement | 35-25-36 inches |
| Figure | Lean |
| Marital Status | Married |
| Husband | Christian Ponder (2012) |
| Children |
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| Profession | Commentator, Sideline Reporter, Host |
| Net Worth | $12.5 million |
| Salary | $4.9 million |
| Affiliations | ESPN, NFL, FOX Sports |
| Active Since | 2006 |
| Social Media | Instagram, Twitter, Facebook |
| Last Update | [current-month], [current-year] |
Sam Ponder | Early life, Parents, and Education
Samantha Sainte-Claire Steele, famously known as Sam Ponder, was born on December 11, 1985, in Pheonix, Arizona, United States. She was born to Jerry Steele (father) and Cindy Steele (mother).
Talking about her parents, her father was a professional basketball player and a retired coach, and her mother was a housewife. So, from a very early age, she had a great interest in sports.
Further, Sam is an American citizen by birth. Added to that, she is a Sagittarius according to her horoscope chart.
For primary education, she went to school near her locality, Central High School.
After completing high school, Sam moved to New York for further studies and then studied at The King’s College, from where her real journey began.
While in college, she applied for a hostess job at ESPN, where she made many connections that helped her in the future.
However, later she transferred to Liberty University in the mid-year and worked as a sideline reporter. Finally, Sam graduated in 2009, and from there, her professional career began to take off.
Sam Ponder | Age, Height, and Body Measurement
As of now, Sam Ponder is [calculate_years datestring=”12/11/1985″] years old. Samantha celebrates her birthday a few days before Christmas.
Sam has a toned physique measuring 35-25-36 inches. At 5 feet 6 inches, the ESPN reporter weighs around 58 kgs.
Plus, her eyes look like a deep ocean, magnificent blue, and her blonde hair compliments her look.
As an influential person, Sam is always learning new things and is dedicated to her work. Besides, her communication skills and her sports knowledge are marvelous.
She is undoubtedly one of the most beautiful reporters on FOX. Moreover, Samantha has a charm that can attract any soul.
Sam Ponder | Career
As we already know, Samantha worked as a host at ESPN during her college years.
At that time, she was both studying and hosting, and yet, she somehow splendidly managed her education and work life.
While working there, Sam came across Ben Keeperman, who wasn’t just an average guy. In fact, Ben was a college football researcher and a manager at ABC Sports Radio.
Further, Sam landed an internship at the network and later transcended into an ABC-TV assistant researcher inside the studio due to her sensible enthusiasm.
However, with the change in college, Ponder left that job too. Ponder, soon after leaving ESPN, joined Liberty Flames as a sideline reporter.
It all happened after Producer Bruce Carey personally contacted Ponder and offered her the deal.
Host for Fox Sports
Consequently, her journey at Liberty ended with graduation. But soon after that, the Arizona-born started working with FOX Sports Net and FOX College Sports, mainly as a sideline reporter.
Undoubtedly, she was a fantastic reporter, and as a result, she bagged two of the most prestigious events to host at the beginning of her career.
Moreover, she got a chance to cover Pac-10 and Big 12 conference games.
Also, Sam’s time at the FOX was enough to polish her professional skills. So in 2007, ESPN hired Sam and allowed her to report under Longhorn Network.
During her days at ESPN, Sam partnered with her fellow recruits, Kevin Dunn and Lowell Galindo. Besides, Ponder went forward as an on-site host for college footballs after relocating to Austin, Texas.
Along with the studio hosting, Sam also covered Thursday Night College Football regularly from the sidelines, collaborating with Jesse Palmer, David Pollack, and Rece Davis.
What is Sam Ponder’s Net Worth? | Salary and Income
Sam undoubtedly has earned quite a good amount of money as she has worked hard for years.
At the moment, Sam has an estimated net worth of $15 million.
Yes, you heard it right, $15 million! Indeed, it is a good amount of money. Besides, in a year, Samantha reportedly earns about $4.9 million.
Apart from that, her husband, Christian, is no less in terms of net worth. From his successful football career, Christian has generated a net worth of $10 million.
Moreover, this fantastic couple lives a lavish life in their $2.2 million mansion located in Arizona.
Who Is Sam Ponder’s Husband?
Samantha is happily married to Christian Ponder, and this beautiful couple has been blessed with three children.
Sam and Christian’s love story began when the former quarterback privately messaged her on Twitter. Even though Christian asked her for a casual date at first, he somewhat knew Sam was the one he had been looking for.
Further, after some dates, Sam also realized that Christian was the perfect guy for her.
After dating for some years, Christian finally proposed to Sam with Christmas lights which spelled out “Marry Me.” Sam was down on his knees with a 4-carats cushion-cut diamond ring.
Undoubtedly, Samantha said yes; who wouldn’t say yes to this fantastic proposal?
Following that, this fantastic couple finally tied their knot on 17th December 2012.
Talking about the wedding, it took place in Hudson in a courthouse. With few people in attendance, it was an intimate private wedding.
Children
After two years of marriage, Sam announced her pregnancy, and soon after that, they welcomed their first child, Bowden Saint-Claire Ponder.
Sam’s daughter was given the name Bowden as a tribute to Bobby Bowden, Christian’s coach. Besides, Sam and Christian also call her Scout.
Similarly, in 2017 this couple welcomed another child. This time Sam and Christian were blessed with a baby boy named Robinson True. The name was given as a tribute to Jackie and David Robinson.
In the following year, they welcomed their third child and second daughter, Price Anne-Drew.
Social Media Presence
Sam is an active social media user. We can see her work-related stuff on her social media handles.
Apart from that, if you guys want to know more about this brilliant mother and wife, you can get information about her from different websites.
Instagram: 545k Followers
Twitter: 481k Followers
Facebook: 17k Followers
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Has Samantha Ponder retired?
No, she hasn’t. Sam is still working as a sideline reporter for Longhorn Network and host for ESPN’s Sunday NFL Countdown.
What happened to Sam in 2018 during a flight?
In 2018, while Sam was traveling from Phoenix to New York, she had a seizure. As a result, she was forced to sit out of the NFL countdown show on Sunday, December 30th, 2018.
