ESPN’s Laura Rutledge is no stranger to scrambling when the job demands it. Whether it’s rushing back on air after a weather-related delay or juggling multiple assignments at a major event, she’s built a reputation for handling live television on the fly. That was on full display during last year’s Sugar Bowl, when a video of Rutledge sprinting across the stadium and up the stairs to reach ESPN’s halftime set quickly went viral. Now, she’s finally revealed what was going through her mind during that frantic dash.

“All the way back to like probably 2018, maybe even 2017, I would do sidelines for playoff games, especially. And then I would run to the set because I was doing both. And it was just never a big deal,” Rutledge explained on the Pivot Podcast. “But when we did it in Oklahoma, I had to scale some steps and get up the set. We were up kind of on the concourse in the stadium at the Sugar Bowl, though it was more intense.

“And the reason why it was so bad is that I had been traveling. So I had these like chunky boots on that had this like big old heel. I’m like, these are cramping my style. I was not on the track team, but I had like some better footwear because I couldn’t lift my knees up here… I was actually really tired by the time I got there. I couldn’t talk, and I tossed it to Paul Finebaum, and he can’t talk either. So, like that was dumb.”

The funniest part was that the television broadcast barely showed how difficult the run actually was. Fans watching at home mostly saw Rutledge moving quickly through the stadium. What they did not see was her trying to do it in heavy boots with large heels while racing against production timing. And the halftime coverage does not wait for anyone, honestly.

Once the camera turns on, hosts are expected to speak with clarity and keep the show moving. Laura Rutledge later admitted she could barely catch her breath when she arrived. That led to the moment where she quickly sent the conversation toward Paul Finebaum. But Rutledge’s last-second rush onto the field didn’t go unnoticed, and legendary broadcaster Chris Berman even did a play-by-play commentary about it.

“I got a mess here on the set, but it doesn’t even compare to the mess you could have been in at the Sugar Bowl,” Berman said while Laura appeared on his show. “I want to show our viewers how versatile, how amazing, and what athletic prowess, let alone hosting prowess, that you actually have.”

Laura Rutledge will stay with ESPN for the foreseeable future

Since becoming the host of NFL Live in 2020, Rutledge has juggled multiple major roles at ESPN. She continued hosting SEC Nation while leading ESPN’s NFL coverage during the week.

ESPN even expanded her role further after signing her to a multi-year contract extension last year. “Laura is a consummate professional and wonderful teammate,” ESPN president Burke Magnus said after her contract extension. “Her versatility allows us to utilize her in multiple roles, across numerous sports, throughout the year. We are fortunate to have her.”

However, Rutledge will no longer be a part of SEC Nation. So, we’re unlikely to see a repeat of the Sugar Bowl moment in the future. You can see how well-liked she is among her peers because she received a shoutout from Kirby Smart after the decision was announced.

“Shout out to Laura Rutledge. I found out this morning that she is going to be moving on away from her SEC duties, but I have a lot of respect for her. I feel like she and I have been in the SEC the same amount of time, with the tenure she’s had. She’s a good friend and a lot of respect for the work she’s done, so I appreciate her service and wish her nothing but the best moving on,” Smart said during the SEC spring meetings.