Laura Rutledge’s ESPN career has become one of the busiest jobs in sports broadcasting, but her journey to this point has also been closely tied to her husband Josh’s support. A former MLB player himself, Josh has always encouraged Laura to pursue her broadcasting ambitions while taking responsibilities at home.
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“It’s because of him,” said Rutledge earlier this year, crediting her husband for her career. Josh extends her the support needed to handle a demanding schedule that keeps her on the road. And now, during an appearance on the Show Pony Live with Chris Childers podcast, Laura called her husband a Superhero.
“Yes, he’s a superhero,” said Rutledge. “I mean truly and like he doesn’t get enough credit. I try to give him as much credit as possible, and it’s still not enough because he does so much. And I mean it’s all the little details. He’s managing so much with both kids. You know, having a six-year-old and a three-year-old where a large portion of the year it’s like their mom is traveling all over the place and trying to be present but you know dealing with all this and he just mans the fort and he’s like, ‘Yep, we’re good.’
“…We were kind of worried because this year Jack, our three-year-old, is going to preschool for the first time. And we’re like, how are we going to handle trying to drop off both kids, like the logistics of it. It’s all problems that everybody has and he texted me the other day. He’s like, ‘You know what, this double drop off thing has been pretty easy.’ I’m like, ‘Yeah, because you’re a freaking rockstar and that’s why like really he’s such a great man.
“And I think too, like for him, you know, he had this great baseball career and then decided to retire and he’s done a few other things and really could do anything that he wants in life, but yet he chooses to be home with the kids so that they have a parent home while I’m out here doing all of this, which you know, at some point this schedule’s not sustainable. But the reason why I can do it right now is because of him.”
Rutledge’s demanding schedule has only become more complicated as her role at ESPN has expanded. After working at FOX Sports as a sideline reporter, Rutledge joined ESPN and the SEC Network in 2014. Since then, the 38-year-old broadcaster’s role has expanded from NFL coverage and Monday Night Football to college football and other major sporting events.
Laura’s work regularly takes her away from home for extended stretches. That makes the support system behind her career increasingly important, particularly with two young children at home. Laura and Josh welcomed their daughter, Reese Katherine Rutledge, in October 2019, who shares the same birthday as Laura.
The couple welcomed their son, Jack Alexander Rutledge, in 2023, adding another layer to an already demanding family routine.
Before he started staying at home for his kids, Josh Rutledge built a professional baseball career of his own. The Alabama native was selected by the Colorado Rockies in the third round of the 2010 MLB Draft and made his major-league debut in 2012. He later played for the Boston Red Sox before his MLB career ended in 2017.
Rutledge finished his MLB career with a .258 batting average, 20 home runs across his MLB career. He later moved into business and other ventures, but his role at home has become just as important to Laura’s career.
As her ESPN responsibilities continue to demand extensive travel, Josh’s decision to prioritize their children has given her the flexibility to keep pursuing them.