Shae Cornette is an American television sports anchor who hosts ESPN’s flagship morning debate show, First Take, alongside Stephen A. Smith. The Chicago native built her name covering the Bears and Chicago sports radio before climbing to one of the most coveted seats in American sports media. She is married to fellow ESPN personality Jordan Cornette, with whom she shares an on-air partnership and a growing family.
Shae Cornette Wikipedia
| Field | Details |
| Full name | Shae Peppler Cornette |
| Nickname | Shae Peppler |
| Gender | Female |
| Date of birth | August 1, 1986 |
| Age | 39 years old (as of June 2026) |
| Place of birth | Chicago, Illinois, United States |
| Current residence | Connecticut, United States |
| Nationality | American |
| Ethnicity | White |
| Zodiac sign | Leo |
| Religion | Christianity |
| Sexual orientation | Straight |
| Height | Approximately 5 ft 7 in (170 cm) |
| Weight | Around 128 lbs (58 kg) |
| Hair colour | Blonde |
| Eye colour | Blue |
| Marital status | Married |
| Spouse | Jordan Cornette (m. 2019) |
| Children | 2 biological (Joey, Saylor); 1 stepson (Carter) |
| Alma mater | Indiana University Bloomington |
| Profession | Sports anchor, television host, broadcaster |
| Years active | 2008 – present |
| Employer | ESPN |
| Net worth | $1 million – $3 million (estimated) |
| @shaepeppler |
Who is Shae Cornette?
Shae Peppler Cornette is an American sportscaster best known as the host of ESPN’s First Take. She replaced longtime moderator Molly Qerim in October 2025, becoming the new face of the network’s signature morning sports talk show with Stephen A. Smith.
Before her ESPN promotion, Shae was a familiar voice on Chicago sports radio and a sideline reporter for the Chicago Bears.
She has also co-hosted SportsNation and ESPN Radio’s GameDay with her husband, Jordan Cornette, making them the first married couple to anchor a national ESPN Radio program.
How old is Shae Cornette? Age and birthday
Shae Cornette is 39 years old as of June 2026. She was born on August 1, 1986, in Chicago, Illinois, United States. Her zodiac sign is Leo, which is often associated with confident, charismatic on-camera personalities.
She grew up in the Chicago area and developed an early passion for Chicago sports teams, especially the Bears and Cubs. Her birthday falls every year on the 1st of August.
Shae Cornette’s height, weight, and body measurements
The ESPN host stands approximately 5 feet 7 inches tall, which is around 170 centimetres. She weighs about 128 pounds, or roughly 58 kilograms, although the sportscaster has never publicly confirmed her exact figures.
Shae has light blonde hair and blue eyes, which has become part of her recognisable on-air look. Other body measurements such as bra size, chest, waist, hips, and shoe size are not officially listed in any verified public records, so any numbers floating online should be treated as estimates only.
Education and early life
Shae was born and raised in Chicago, Illinois. After finishing high school in the Chicago area, she enrolled at Indiana University Bloomington, where she earned a bachelor’s degree in broadcast journalism with a minor in kinesiology.
During her college years, she interned with MTV Networks and Showtime Networks in New York. She also worked as a production assistant for CBS coverage of Chicago Bears games, gaining hands-on experience that shaped her future in sports media.
Shae Cornette’s career
Shae has spent close to two decades climbing the ranks of American sports television and radio. Her path took her from local Chicago shows to one of the biggest national platforms in the industry.
Early Chicago years (2008 – 2014)
Her professional career began in Chicago with the Big Ten Network and The Chicago Huddle on WLS-TV (ABC 7). She also worked for Campus Insiders, which later became Stadium, as a sideline reporter covering the Big 12, Conference USA, Atlantic-10, and Mountain West college football and basketball games. She joined Morning Dose on WGN-TV as a national correspondent during this period.
Fox 32 Chicago and ESPN 1000 (2015 – 2020)
For about two years, Shae served as a weekend sports anchor and field reporter at WFLD (Fox 32) Chicago. She was the lead Bears reporter, hosting Bears Unleashed, a weekly half-hour show on the team.
She also co-hosted Kap & Co. with David Kaplan on WMVP (ESPN 1000), which became the top-rated program in its time slot on Chicago sports radio.
ESPN national career (2020 – present)
In March 2020, Shae moved to Connecticut to co-host ESPN Radio’s GameDay with her husband Jordan. The couple made history as the first married pair to host a national ESPN Radio show. She also became a host on SiriusXM’s NFL Radio channel during that period.
In October 2021, the Cornettes were named hosts of the relaunched ESPN+ daily show SportsNation. Shae soon expanded into SportsCenter anchoring duties before her career-defining promotion.
In October 2025, ESPN named her the new host of First Take succeeding Molly Qerim, a move that placed her at the heart of the network’s morning lineup.
What is Shae Cornette’s net worth and salary?
As of 2026, Shae Cornette’s net worth is estimated at between $1 million and $3 million, based on figures reported by Times Now News and Distractify.
Her exact ESPN salary has not been disclosed publicly. Earlier estimates placed her annual earnings between $50,000 and $120,000 during her radio years, but industry observers believe her pay rose sharply after she took over First Take in late 2025, as the show is one of ESPN’s highest-rated morning programs.
Income sources
She earns through several streams tied to her sports media profile:
- Her on-air role at ESPN as the host of First Take and a SportsCenter anchor
- Radio hosting work on ESPN Radio and SiriusXM NFL Radio
- Public speaking engagements and corporate appearances
- Brand partnerships and endorsements through her Instagram platform
- Hosting fees from her co-founded charity event, Fashion’s Fight Against Cancer
Is Shae Cornette married? Husband and children
Yes, Shae Cornette is married. Her husband is Jordan Cornette, an American sports analyst at ESPN and a former Notre Dame basketball player.
The two met in 2014 while working together at Campus Insiders in Chicago. They were close friends for years before they started dating.
The couple tied the knot on June 1, 2019, at a private ceremony, just one month after Jordan accepted his ESPN job offer that took the family to Bristol, Connecticut.
Children
Shae and Jordan share two biological children. Their son, Joey, was born in April 2021 and was named in memory of Jordan’s late brother Joel Cornette, a former Butler University basketball player.
Their daughter, Saylor, was born in January 2023. Shae is also a stepmother to Jordan’s older son, Carter, who lives with his mother in Florida.
The Cornettes are raising their young children in Connecticut while balancing their busy on-air schedules.
Social media presence
As of June 2026, Shae Cornette is most active on Instagram under the handle @shaepeppler, where she has built a strong following of sports fans.
Her feed mixes ESPN behind-the-scenes content with family moments, country music posts, and Chicago sports nostalgia. She uses the platform mostly for personal branding and promoting her ESPN appearances rather than political commentary.
Fast facts about Shae Cornette
- She graduated from Indiana University with a degree in broadcast journalism and a minor in kinesiology.
- She interned at MTV Networks and Showtime Networks during her college years.
- She and her husband Jordan were the first married couple to host a national ESPN Radio show.
- Their family dog, an English Cream Golden retriever, is named Kobe in tribute to Kobe Bryant.
- She co-founded Fashion’s Fight Against Cancer, which has raised over $200,000 for pediatric cancer research.
- Her son Joey is named after Jordan’s late brother Joel Cornette, a former Butler basketball star.
- She is a die-hard fan of country music and Chicago Bears football.
- She replaced Molly Qerim as host of ESPN’s First Take in October 2025.
- Before joining ESPN, she co-hosted Chicago’s top-rated sports radio program, Kap & Co. on ESPN 1000.
- She enjoys cycling, interior design, and spending time near the water in her free time.
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Wrapping up
Shae Cornette has carved out one of the most enviable careers in American sports broadcasting, going from a Chicago Bears sideline reporter to the host chair on First Take.
At 39, she balances a high-profile ESPN role with raising her family in Connecticut alongside husband Jordan Cornette. With her net worth tipped to climb past the $3 million mark in the coming years, her star in 2026 looks set to keep rising.
References
- Wikipedia. “Shae Cornette”.
- ESPN Press Room. “Shae Peppler Cornette”.
- Sports Illustrated. “Who Is Shae Cornette? Everything to Know About Molly Qerim’s First Take Replacement”.
- Distractify. “What Is First Take Host Shae Cornette’s Net Worth?”.
- Times Now News. “Shae Cornette Net Worth: A Look At Fortune And Career Of ESPN’s New ‘First Take’ Host”.
- The New York Times / The Athletic. “Married to the job and each other, the Cornettes are a first on ESPN Radio”.
- Moffly Lifestyle Media. “Love, Actually – Jordan & Shae Cornette”.
- Yahoo Sports. “Shae Cornette opens up about plans to make ‘First Take’ her own”.
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