Culture
ESPN to name Mike Greenberg host of 'Sunday NFL Countdown'
Mike Greenberg will be the new host of “Sunday NFL Countdown” as ESPN sets up its lineup for its first Super Bowl in 2027, a source briefed on the matter told The Athletic on Tuesday.
Greenberg replaces Sam Ponder who was fired last week with one-year and more than a million dollars left on her contract. While she will be paid in full, ESPN made the move to tidy up its books with the fiscal year concluding at the end of September.
However, the Ponder decision was also designed to promote Greenberg, a long-time favorite of ESPN executives. As the host of daily “Get Up” on TV and “Greeny” on radio, Greenberg is already a ubiquitous presence on the network. Greenberg had a brief run as the lead NBA host before relinquishing those duties to Malika Andrews last season. He also hosts the NFL Draft on ESPN, which is considered a prestigious assignment.
Greenberg, 57, receives the job over Laura Rutledge, an up-and-coming star at the network. Although on the rise, this marks the second time in the last year that Rutledge, the host of the daily “NFL Live,” has lost out to a longtime ESPN anchor.
Just before last season, Scott Van Pelt was named the host of Monday Night Football’s “NFL Countdown” over Rutledge. Van Pelt’s Monday program has also been revamped as Jason Kelce replaced the recently fired Robert Griffin III. Kelce joins analysts Marcus Spears and Ryan Clark on Mondays.
On Sundays, Greenberg’s main set will include Randy Moss, Tedy Bruschi, Rex Ryan and Alex Smith; as well as insider Adam Schefter.
ESPN and ABC will have the Super Bowl for the first time in 2027, and the network executives are designing its weekly sets for that big moment in the company’s history.
Required reading
(Photo: Joe Murphy / NBAE via Getty Images)
Culture
Video: Read These 3 Books Before Watching the Movie
new video loaded: Read These 3 Books Before Watching the Movie
By Jennifer Harlan, Edward Vega and June Kim
January 9, 2026
Culture
Do You Know the Notable Buildings Mentioned in These Books?
A strong sense of place can deeply influence a story, and in some cases, the setting can even feel like a character itself. This week’s literary geography quiz highlights buildings that inspired authors, often to the point of including the structures in their novels. (Many of the buildings are still open to visitors.) To play, just make your selection in the multiple-choice list and the correct answer will be revealed. At the end of the quiz, you’ll find links to the books if you’d like to do further reading.
Culture
Video: 250 Years of Jane Austen, in Objects
new video loaded: 250 Years of Jane Austen, in Objects
By Jennifer Harlan, Sadie Stein, Claire Hogan, Laura Salaberry and Edward Vega
December 18, 2025
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