Sundays are going to be a little different this fall.
Chris Berman will no longer host ESPN’s “Sunday NFL Countdown.” He will be replaced by College GameDay contributor Samantha Ponder.
Berman has served as “Countdown” host for 31 years, doubling Brent Musburger’s 15-year record as the longest-running host of a weekly pro football studio show.
“I couldn't be more grateful to be a part of the ‘Sunday NFL Countdown’ family,” said Ponder in a release. “There is no such thing as replacing Chris Berman, but the chance to build on his incredible legacy while simultaneously taking new risks to serve NFL fans is the opportunity of a lifetime.”
Ponder, 31, is no stranger to football. She has hosted “College Football Live” and served as a college football and basketball sideline reporter, most recently on ABC Saturday Night Football and including the College Football Playoff National Championship. She joined ESPN in 2011 as one of the first commentators for The Longhorn Network in Austin, Texas.
Berman, 61, announced in January he would end his hosting duties following the Atlanta Falcons' Super Bowl loss to the New England Patriots in Houston.
ESPN veteran Suzy Kolber, who has co-hosted ESPN’s “Monday Night Football” pregame show with Berman since 2015, will now take over sole hosting duties. Trey Wingo takes over for Berman at the annual NFL Draft telecast on ESPN.
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