Who is Laura Rutledge? Meet sports reporter covering 2023 NFL Draft while nine months pregnant
Laura Rutledge covered the 2023 NFL Draft while nine months pregnant.
Considering all the challenges, live television is just as difficult as you'd think. Especially if you're covering something as eventful as the 2023 NFL Draft. One has to be on their toes, keeping up with the draft, everyone's information, and the ever-changing nature it brings with it.
Rutledge, due to give birth on May 24, had to get her doctor's approval to work on the draft. While her work is important, the 34-year-old's main focus is to make sure she's healthy and can handle the stress.
“For me, it was first about making sure I was healthy and everything was fine,” Rutledge said. “I’m just really trying to listen to my body. I will say Thursday took a toll. I feel like I got hit by a truck. There were times last night where I wondered, ‘Is that a contraction? What is that? Is it just pain?’"
She also spoke about women who choose to stay home and are still admirable. According to Laura Rutledge, anyone, whether they work or stay at home, is inspiring. Having worked with ESPN and the SEC Network since 2014, Rutledge hopes to look back on this as a very special assignment. The one where her son was with her.
"He’s been with me the entire football season. He covered the College Football Playoff and Super Bowl and all these cool moments. As a woman in this business, it matters to me to try and show our kids that we can do all of this".
Though she accepts that it won't be easy, she is determined to be a fighter.
Before her sports journalism career was catapulted, Rutledge was in the spotlight for winning the 2012 Miss Florida pageant. She even participated in the Miss America pageant in 2013.
Before joining ESPN, the journalist also worked with Fox Sports as a sideline reporter. She spent two years with the company.
Additionally, Rutledge is married to baseball player Josh Rutledge in 2013. They met in 2011.
Laura Rutledge wins hearts with her determination during the 2023 NFL Draft
Her words and determination ultimately stole the show in the 2023 NFL Draft. In fact, a few are convinced that the Florida native is one of the best in the business for now.
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Many referred to Laura Rutledge as the G.O.A.T., emphasizing that this is what makes Rutledge the best today. After all, not everyone might be able to work as efficiently when they are nine months pregnant.
She has also produced the show "SDLive", which was telecasted on "Fox Sports San Diego'. Working in sports for over a decade, Rutledge is popular among sports journalists and is known for her terrific reporting.