Pregnant ESPN Star Hits Back at Critics for 'Sexist, Vulgar' Comments About Her Appearance

Samantha Ponder, who is currently pregnant with her second child, knocked Twitter trolls for "sexist and vulgar" comments made about her appearance

Photo: Randy Holmes/ABC via Getty

Rising ESPN star Samantha Ponder is currently expecting her second child with San Francisco 49ers quarterback Christian Ponder, due later this year.

But in between work and chasing after their 2-year-old daughter, Bowden “Scout” Sainte-Claire, the 31-year-old sideline reporter took time to knock Twitter trolls who had been throwing hateful comments her way.

“Getting sexist/vulgar tweets abt my job/appearance while I’m unable to see my own feet & covered in toddler pee is somethin else I tell ya,” she wrote on Twitter.

Ponder replaced Erin Andrews as the face of ESPN’s College GameDay in 2012, and has been the regular sideline reporter for the network’s Thursday Night College Football. She has also been rumored to replace ESPN anchor Chris Berman on the popular pregame show Sunday NFL Countdown.

Her tweet was met with praise from many of her followers — including one man who thanked her for being “an inspiration for young girls like my daughter.”

FROM COINAGE: Super Bowl Winners Pay as Much in Taxes as You Make in a Year

Being a working mom has put Ponder in a place where she’s often the target of critics — even from other mothers.

“I have had people walk up to me and say things to my face about my parenting and mothering,” Ponder told Sports Illustrated last December. “One time I had a lady ask me if this was her [Scout’s] first flight and I made a joke out of it as I usually do, saying she’s a long pro at this. The woman said, ‘You know, that is terrible for a baby. The immune systems are not ready for this.’

“One of the things I have learned is some of the most judgmental people have been other moms, and there have also been a ton of moms who have been very supportive and encouraging,” she added. “I think a lot of people see how they did it and it worked for them, and they assume that is what works for everyone. I told my doctor I was feeling guilty about having her out so much and he said, ‘There are two things that you have to do. You have to love her and you have to feed her.’ I was like, ‘Okay, I can do those things.’ ”

Ponder and Christian married on Dec. 17, 2012 in Hudson, Wisconsin. The two welcomed daughter Bowden, named after Christian’s Florida State coach Bobby Bowden, on July 2, 2014. They called call their baby girl “Scout,” after the young protagonist in To Kill a Mockingbird.