Suzy Kolber

Commentator

Host and Reporter

SuzyNFL32

Suzy Kolber has covered a variety of assignments for ESPN from the National Football League to Grand Slam tennis events and X Games.  She is most recognized as an NFL reporter for Monday Night Football and ESPN’s studio programs, as well as the co-host of ESPN2′s NFL32 (Mon. – Fri., 6 p.m. ET), the year-round NFL-themed roundtable show which launched in Septmeber 2011.Widely praised for elevating the NFL sideline role to new heights, Kolber joined ESPN’s Monday Night Football team during its inaugural year in 2006 after five previous seasons on ESPN’s Sunday Night Football (2001-05).  On Mondays throughout the NFL season, Kolber and Michele Tafoya provide regular updates on the participating MNF teams throughout multiple ESPN programs, including SportsCenter and Monday Night Countdown, in addition to reporting during the MNF games.

Kolber worked the sidelines for ABC Sports’ broadcast of Super Bowl XL in Detroit in 2006 and also contributed to the network’s pre-game show.  She has also covered one of the participating teams throughout Super Bowl week for ESPN each of the past three years: Pittsburgh Steelers (XLV, 2011), Indianapolis Colts (XLIV, 2010) and Arizona Cardinals (XLIII, 2009). Kolber has also played a major role in ESPN’s annual NFL Draft coverage since 2004, conducting red carpet and green room interviews on the opening days from Radio City Music Hall and co-hosting from ESPN’s studio in Bristol, Conn., on Day 3.

In addition to reporting, Kolber has been a regular host for NFL Live, ESPN’s year-round pro football news and information show. From 1999-2003, Kolber was the host of NFL Matchup, and she previously contributed “Backstage” segments to Monday Night Countdown.

The first female recipient of the Maxwell Football Club’s Sports Broadcaster of the Year Award in 2006, Kolber was also named to Sports Business Daily’s 2004 list of the 10 favorite sports TV personalities of the past 10 years.

In past NFL offseasons, Kolber served as a SportsCenter anchor and on-site host for ESPN’s coverage at the French Open (2004-08) and Wimbledon (2003- 2009).  In 2000 and ’01 she hosted the X Games and Winter X Games, and she returned to the event as co-host in Aspen in 2006.  Her credits also include hosting Triple Crown horse racing events for ESPN/ESPN2 studio programs, as well as ESPN pre-race NASCAR Countdown shows on ABC in 2007, often during the same weekends as MNF games in the fall.

Kolber returned to ESPN in August 1999 after originally joining the network in 1993 as co-host for ESPN2’s SportsNight, when the network debuted October 1 of that year.  She later served as an anchor on SportsCenter, a reporter on College GameDay and co-host of the X Games in 1995 and ’96.  Kolber also hosted ESPN2′s SportsFigures, which used sports celebrities and analogies to teach math and physics.  She left ESPN for Fox Sports in November 1996, where she anchored a nightly sports news program and reported from NFL games in addition to hosting figure skating and weekend NHL coverage.

Kolber came to ESPN from WPEC-TV in West Palm Beach, Fla., where she was a weekend sports anchor and weekday feature reporter since December 1991.  In 1991, Kolber’s freelance assignments included work as a reporter/producer for Breeders’ Cup Newsfeed in Greenwich, Conn.; a field producer for Inside Edition in New York; a sports specials producer for WCIX-TV in Miami, and a producer/director for NFL Films.  From 1989-90, she freelanced as a sports specials producer for WPLG-TV in Miami.  In addition, she produced two magazine shows, Cowboys Special Edition in Irving, Texas (1990-91) and Greyhound Racing America in Miami, Fla. (1988-90). From 1985 to 1989, she produced the 5:30 p.m. sportscast at WTVJ-TV in Miami, winning a local Sports Emmy in 1988.

Kolber graduated from the University of Miami in 1986 with a bachelor of arts degree in telecommunications.  While an undergraduate, she worked at Dynamic Cable in Coral Gables, Fla., as a sports director (1984-86).  After graduation, she worked at CBS Sports in New York as a videotape coordinator (1986).

- 30 -