Former ESPN reporter Suzy Kolber has been married to husband Eric Brady since 2008, the very same year the couple welcomed a daughter named Kellyn. What little is we known is that Kolber became a first-time mom at age 44, with the support of husband Eric.
Her father Gene Kolber has hinted Kellyn enjoys quality time with grandparents in their New Jersey home when not cheering Mom on TV.
Suzy Kolber’s Childhood and Family
Suzy Kolber, now 57 years old, was born on May 14, 1964 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania to parents Sandra and Gene Kolber. She was raised in a Jewish family.
As a child, Kolber made the Upper Dublin Township football team at 10 years old, garnering the attention of Philadelphia media. When asked by a reporter how long she planned to play football, young Suzy memorably replied that she would keep playing “until the boys start tackling me when I don’t have the ball.”
Kolber credits her grandfather, described as a pious man who still always made time to listen to baseball games on the radio, for instilling her lifelong passion for sports.
Suzy Kolber attended Sandy Run Middle School in Dresher, Pennsylvania and graduated from Upper Dublin High School in 1982. She then graduated from the University of Miami in 1986 with a degree in communications.
Suzy Kolber is a Mother and a beloved wife
Kolber and Brady tied the knot in 2008, the same year they welcomed daughter Kellyn Brady into the world. When speaking briefly to the media about Kellyn’s birth, Suzy’s proud father Gene Kolber confirmed that Kellyn arrived happy and healthy, weighing 6 1⁄2 pounds at 19 inches long.
Gene did clarify that Suzy “decided to become a single mother” when further pressed by reporters about details on Kellyn’s conception and the status of Suzy’s relationship with husband Eric. Always protective of his daughter’s privacy, Gene politely declined to discuss Suzy’s personal choices surrounding starting a family at age 44.
After Kellyn’s birth, Gene mentioned his granddaughter would be spending time close with family at Gene’s Ventnor, New Jersey home alongside Suzy’s mother Sandra.
Suzy Kolber’s Broadcasting Career
While at the University of Miami, Kolber gained experience working as a sports director at Dynamic Cable in Coral Gables from 1984-1986. She was also on the university’s water ski team.
After graduation, Kolber started her career in New York City working in videotape coordination at CBS Sports in 1986. She then transitioned into local sports news production, working at stations in Miami and Texas throughout the late 80s.
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After getting her start in videotape coordination at CBS Sports, Suzy Kolber start her career in sports production throughout the late 80s and early 90s.
From 1985-1989, Kolber took on a lead production role as producer of the 5:30pm ET evening sports broadcast at WTVJ-TV in Miami. Her outstanding work was recognized in 1988 when she won a local Sports Emmy Award.
Kolber then gained experience freelancing as a specials producer at WPLG-TV in Miami between 1989-1990. During this time, she also flexed her producing skills on two popular national sports magazine programs – Greyhound Racing America based in Miami from 1988-1990, and Cowboys Special Edition in Irving, Texas airing from 1990-1991.
After a few years freelancing, Kolber landed at ESPN in 1993 as one of the original anchors to help launch the new ESPN2 network. She brought poise beyond her years to ESPN2 as one of the fledgling network’s first stars.
After several years at ESPN2, Kolber left for Fox Sports in 1996 where she remained until late 1999 when she returned to ESPN. Her second stint at ESPN propelled Kolber into one of the network’s most prominent and versatile broadcasters over nearly three decades.
Some career highlights at ESPN included:
- Hosting flagship shows like Sunday Night Football (2001-2005), Monday Night Football (2006), and NFL Countdown pre-game show
- Serving as studio host for major events like the Super Bowl, Triple Crown horse races, X Games (multiple years)
- Anchoring innovative shows like NFL32 (with Chris Mortensen) which debuted in 2011
In 2011 NFL Draft interview with Mark Ingram Jr. reinforced Kolber’s versatility and skill on live television during impactful human moments and breaking sports stories alike.
Suzy Kolber out from ESPN After Nearly 3 Decades
In June 2023, veteran ESPN personality Suzy Kolber announced via Twitter that she was included in the latest round of layoffs impacting the sports media giant. Kolber had been with ESPN for 27 years, starting as an original anchor on ESPN2 upon its launch in 1993.
Kolber shared the difficult news herself directly with fans on social media, writing on Twitter:
“Today I join the many hard-working colleagues who have been laid off. Heartbreaking – but 27 years at ESPN was a good run.”
Kolber most recently hosted ESPN’s Monday Night Countdown pregame show, a role she took over starting in 2015. She had contributed to the network’s NFL programming in various high-profile roles since returning to ESPN from Fox Sports in 1999.
Kolber Remains Involved In NFL Coverage After ESPN Exit
While beloved sportscaster Suzy Kolber departed ESPN in June 2023 after nearly three illustrious decades with the network, she has not strayed entirely from NFL coverage in the months since.
Kolber provided evidence on her Twitter account that she participated in coverage of the 2023 NFL Draft held in April at Kansas City’s vibrant Union Station.
