Shae Cornette is the face of ESPN’s SportsCenter, known for her lively and insightful commentary on major sports events across the world. But how much do you actually know about the woman behind the screen? Here’s a closer look at her career and personal life.
Who Is Shae Cornette?
Shae Peppler Cornette is a sports commentator on ESPN TV’s SportsCenter and ESPN Radio’s GameDay. Shae also fills in for Molly Qerim on First Take, another ESPN show.
Shae Cornette currently is married to former basketball star Jordan Cornette, and together they have three children: Carter, Joey, and Saylor Cornette.
Shae has kept their birthdates private, but she has shared in a 2023 interview that her eldest son, Carter, was 17 years old—meaning that he’s likely between 18 and 19 years old today. Her two younger children, a boy and a girl, are believed to be between the ages of 2 and 5.
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Early Life and Career
Shae Cornette was born in Chicago on August 20, 1986, to mother Shirley Jones and Robyn Steger. Much of Shae’s childhood—including details of her parent’s profession—is kept private. However, we do know that Shae has at least two sisters: Coley Stager and Bristeger Stager, both of whom are fairly active on Instagram.
Shae attended Indiana University, intending to become a marine biologist. She has always been a fan of sports, but she considered it more as an interest rather than a career. It wasn’t until her professor saw her talent for conversation that Shae began considering a career change. He recommended she look into broadcast journalism.
At first, Shae dismissed the idea. But her interest in college football grew, and she began interviewing students about Kelvin Sampson.
On a whim, Shae sent her work to the Big Ten Network. To her surprise, they not only aired her interview but also landed a role on the network as a field reporter for collage football games.
That was when Shae realized that she loved interviewing people, and switched her major from marine biology to journaling. Ultimately, Shae graduated from Indiana University with a degree in broadcast journalism and kinesiology.
Upon graduating, Shae worked as a correspondent for The Chicago Huddle on ABC 7, as well as a host for SiriusXM Mad Dog Radio and NFL Radio. She then took a role as the primary television beat reporter for the Chicago Bears on Fox 32, where she hosted pre and post-game shows.
While doing so, Shae launched Bears Unleashed on the same channel, a weekly sports program featuring in-depth analysis and interviews on the Chicago Bears. It has since become the go-to source for Bears coverage in the Chicago area, attracting a dedicated viewership.
Image source: Google
Shae later transitioned to ESPN, where she co-hosted Kap & Co. on ESPN 1000 and ESPN Radio’s GameDay alongside her husband, Jordan Cornette.
Currently, Shae hosts ESPN’s flagship program SportsCenter, which she claims to be her ‘dream job.’ Shae’s magnetic personality brought in a slew of viewers, entertained by her ad-lib. In fact, since joining the show, SportsCenter has reported year-over-year growth across all editions.
“This really was a dream job of mine, and every day I come out of a studio feeling like I did something better, I feel fullfilled.” Shae told BarrettMedia.
How Did Shae Cornette Meet Her Husband, Jordan Cornette?
Shae Cornette met Jordan Cornette while they were both working for Campus Insiders. Jordan Cornette was a former Notre Dame basketball player and co-host of Kap & Company on ESPN 1000. When he was relocated to Bristol, Connecticut to work at ESPN in 2018, Shae was selected as his co-host alongside David Kaplan.
Shae and Jordan quickly became close friends, with Jordan’s sense of humor helping Shae smile as she coped with the news that her teenage sister, Coley, had been diagnosed with Stage 4 Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma.
Image source: Google
The two eventually started dating, and during that time, Coley’s health began to improve.
As Coley fought to get better, another tragedy struck—Jordan’s older brother, Joel Cornette, who was a former basketball star at Butler, was found dead at his apartment at only 35.
The official cause of death was coronary atherosclerosis, also known as Coronary artery disease, a condition characterized by fatty buildup in the arteries. To say that Jordan was distraught would be an understatement, “Joey had just gotten to know Shae. He really liked her.” Jordan told The New York Times.
In the following months, Shae and Jordan’s love grew stronger. They’ve been through the worst together and supported each other no matter what. If that wasn’t proof of their love, nothing was.
Shae and Jordan got married in 2019, and together, they became the first married duo to host a show on ESPN Radio, called GameDay. People loved their chemistry and banter, how genuine they were with each other.
“If we’re fighting in real life, we’re fighting on air, and everyone knows it. But that’s okay,” Shae said. “We’re married, and I think that made us a little bit more relatable.”
Image source: Instagram
Today, Shae and Jordan are raising three children. Carter, Jordan’s son from a previous relationship, Joey, who they’ve named after Jordan’s brother, and Saylor.
Despite being public figures, the couple prefers to keep their children out of the spotlight. Carter, who’s between 18 and 19 years old, doesn’t appear to have a public social media account, and his two younger siblings are too young to have one.
Meanwhile, Shae’s sister, Coley, is blessedly cancer-free. She’s currently studying to be a nurse.
What Is Shae Cornette’s Net Worth?
As of 2025, Shae Cornette’s net worth is believed to be $3 million. Much of her wealth comes from her career as a sports commentator and journalist at ESPN.
Some sources claim that Shae’s annual contract with ESPN exceeds $120,000, which is the industry standard for someone in her position. Shae also has separate salaries for her show Bears Unleashed and her work with SiriusXM NFL Radio.
Image source: Instagram
Shae owns several properties, though her current address remains private. According to the Chicago Tribune, she and her husband, Jordan, listed their two-bedroom condo in East Village, Chicago, for $515,000.
Final Thoughts
Shae Cornette is a TV host for ESPN’s flagship show SportsCenter. She’s married to her co-host, Jordan Cornette, and they have three children together. In addition to her role on SportsCenter, Shae also hosts Bears Unleashed and works with SiriusXM NFL Radio
Featured image source: Google
