Who Is Samantha Ponder's Husband? He's a Former NFL Star

Longtime ESPN sportscaster Samantha Ponder first joined the network in 2011 and remained with the company until she was let go in August 2024, reportedly for budgetary reasons.

Outside of work, Samantha has been married since 2012, and shares three children with her husband. On that note: Who is Samantha's husband? Here's what to know about Christian Ponder.

Christian Ponder is a former NFL star who played for the Minnesota Vikings, the Denver Broncos, and the San Francisco 49ers. The Texas-born quarterback previously played college football in Florida for the Seminoles, and in 2011 the Vikings selected him with the 12th overall pick in the NFL draft.

Samantha and Christian got married in December 2012, within a few months of meeting each other. They first started talking on Twitter, when Christian began sending her messages. Samantha told Larry Brown Sports that Christian's DMs weren't at all creepy, but she was still surprised to receive them.

"Our version of Christian Mingle was on Twitter," Samantha told the outlet.

"I really did realize from day one this guy is different. He operates a different way," she explained. "Honestly, the reason I even responded to him on Twitter was I looked at his Twitter page and he didn’t follow any other women. Usually these guys are all following porn stars or who knows what kind of women. There were little things like that pointing to maybe this is a different kind of guy."

Samantha said that after they exchanged vows, the two headed for dinner at Arby's for their "wedding meal."

"I don’t need a day that’s all about me. I was happy to go get married," she told the outlet.

That same night, they forgot that they'd been invited to an ugly-sweater Christmas party, so when someone texted them to remind them, they went out to the mall to buy sweaters and then hit up the party.

Even though dinner at Arby's followed by attending an ugly-sweater party may not sound like the typical wedding, Samantha and Christian actually followed this up with a more traditional wedding and reception in April 2013.

Samantha and Christian welcomed their first child, a daughter named Bowden "Scout" Sainte-Claire, in July 2014. Per ESPN, they named her after Christian's college coach, Bobby Bowden, and planned to call her Scout after the protagonist in To Kill a Mockingbird. The child's middle name is the same as her mother's.

The couple's second child came along in June 2017, a son named Robinson True. As Samantha explained on Instagram after his birth, "He goes by True. He was named after Jackie and David ... two men of courage who weren't/aren't afraid to hold to their convictions and take the road less traveled. We love you forever, True. Here's to a new great adventure."

Samantha and Christian's third child, a daughter named Price, joined the family in July 2018. Samantha wrote on Instagram after Price was born, "Meet Price. Our prayer is that she always knows her worth. ❤️ 'For God bought you with a high price. So honor Him with your body and spirit.' 1 Corinthians 6:20."