ESPN’s Laura Rutledge Opens Up on Husband Josh’s Sacrifice for Her Broadcasting Career: “He’s Managing So Much”

Isha Fri, October 2, 2026 at 12:30 PM UTC

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Laura Rutledge has been building a remarkable career as the face of ESPN while navigating the exhausting demands of motherhood. However, behind her success is a true jackpot—her husband, Josh Rutledge. While Laura has continued to make her mark professionally, Josh has been the steady presence holding down the fort at home, giving her the support and space to pursue her career.

“Yes, he’s a superhero. I mean truly, and he doesn’t get enough credit,” Rutledge said on “Show Pony Live with Chris Childers” on Oct. 1 when asked about Josh’s contribution.

“I try to give him as much credit as possible, and it’s still not enough because he does so much. It’s all the little details. He’s managing so much with both kids. 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 dealing with all this, and he just mans the fort, and he’s like, ‘Yep, we’re good.'” added Rutledge.

Laura and Josh Rutledge’s relationship began with a coincidental encounter that eventually turned into marriage. The couple met in 2011 in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, during the historic Alabama vs. LSU game. Laura walked up to a random Alabama baseball tailgate while attending the game. That’s when she met Josh. After dating for nearly two years, the two tied the knot in Dec. 2013.

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Josh was playing for the Boston Red Sox in MLB after the two got married. Laura was clear that she would hang up her microphone and become a “baseball life” after marriage. However, after eight months of navigating it all, Laura realized that she had truly married a real one.

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Josh was the one who encouraged her to get back to work, and the rest, as they say, is history. As Laura’s career began to take off, Josh decided to put his bat down and take on a different role. Two kids and nearly a decade later, he’s still been making it all look like a piece of cake, supporting Laura every step of the way while keeping their family grounded.

“We were kind of worried because this year Jack, our three-year-old, is going to preschool for the first time,” Rutledge said while telling another story of her husband on the podcast. “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. So really, he’s such a great man.'”

While Josh could have pursued his baseball career, he chose a different path for himself. He had a good six-year career in MLB as a utility infielder. He saw his most significant playing time in Colorado. His best statistical year came during his 2014 season, where he appeared in 105 games, recording 83 hits, four home runs, and a .269 batting average. But he knew that it was time to let her wife shine.

Laura’s ESPN schedule demands heavy travel for NFL Live and Monday Night Football. So even though Josh works as a licensed realtor for Coldwell Banker Realty in West Hartford, Connecticut, and is a co-owner and partner of West Alabama Ford, he serves as the primary parent for their two young children, Reese and Jack.

“I think too, for him, 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. But the reason why I can do it right now is because of him,” Rutledge concluded.

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