Who Is Laura Rutledge's Husband? All About Former MLB Player Josh Rutledge

Laura Rutledge and Josh Rutledge met at a football tailgate in 2011

Laura Rutledge (née McKeeman) and her husband, Josh Rutledge, are a sports match made in heaven.

The ESPN NFL Live host and former Major League Baseball player met in 2011 while attending a tailgate at the University of Alabama and wed in 2013.

Now, more than a decade later, Laura and Josh are enjoying life as a family of four and sharing glimpses on social media. Since getting married, the couple have welcomed two children: daughter Reese and son Jack.

On the career front, they have cheered each other through significant changes, including Laura's rise from Miss Florida 2012 to a seasoned sports reporter and Josh's transition from a professional baseball player to a successful business owner.

“He’s just always been a wonderful supporter of me and everything that I’m doing in college football, college baseball, whatever it may be,” Laura told SB Nation in 2018 about Josh. “He’s been such a great encourager and I hope I’ve done the same for him.”

So who is Laura Rutledge's husband? Here’s everything to know about Josh Rutledge and his relationship with the sports reporter.

He’s from Alabama

Josh is originally from Cullman, Alabama, according to his LinkedIn. He played baseball in high school, where he won a state championship in his senior year and was named Alabama 5A Player of the Year, according to the MLB site.

The athlete continued excelling at the sport when he attended the University of Alabama in 2007, and after three years, he left the classroom to pursue a career in professional baseball.

Josh later graduated from the University of Alabama in 2019 with a bachelor of science and he celebrated the educational milestone on Instagram, alongside a picture of him donning a cap and gown next to Laura.

"So thankful for the love and support of my family, friends and my wife," he wrote in the caption. "Blessed to be able to represent such an amazing university with so much tradition. Thank you to everyone who helped me achieve this. Roll Tide!"

He’s a former professional baseball player

During his undergrad at the University of Alabama, Josh was drafted by the Colorado Rockies in 2010, per the MLB site.

“The main difference between college and the pros is never knowing where you are going to be,” he told The Crimson White after announcing his departure. “You are always traveling and you have to get used to a new team and build new team chemistry. The game itself stays the same, though.”

Josh made his debut two years later and went on to play for the Los Angeles Angels and Boston Red Sox. After joining the minor league team, the San Francisco Giants, for six months, the infielder retired in 2018.

In an interview with SB Nation that same year, Laura opened up about how their passion for sports brings them together.

“I actually think it’s been great for both of us because we both have our own careers and we also understand a lot about each others careers so we can support each other in ways that if you haven’t ever experienced it before, it might be more difficult," she said.

He met Laura at a football tailgate in 2011

Laura shared how they met in 2011 while attending a football game at the University of Alabama. According to the former Get Up host, she "walked up to a random tailgate" and crossed paths with Josh for the first time.

In honor of the fifth anniversary of their meeting, they went down memory lane and posted a snap on Instagram.

“@jarutledge and I went back to that exact same tailgate today for the first time since we met. We even found the same tent where it all started ❤️," she wrote in 2016.

They married in December 2013

Laura and Josh wed on December 7, 2013. Throughout the years, the pair have shared various photos from their special day, including their first look and dance.

Most recently, the former beauty pageant winner honored an important anniversary with pictures from their wedding ceremony and reception.

"10 years since the best day of our lives," Laura wrote on Instagram. "2 babies and lots of adventures later, what a joy it is to do life together. So thankful for you, my best friend…my everything ❤️."

They share two kids

Laura and Josh have two kids: their daughter Reese and son Jack.

After welcoming their firstborn in October 2019, the sports broadcast journalist revealed that Reese was preparing to become a big sister via a sweet video on social media.

Laura and Josh announced the birth of Jack in May 2023, and shortly after, she spoke to PEOPLE about how much growing their family meant to them.

"It’s so special to know that we are giving our daughter Reese a sibling, especially after going through a heartbreaking miscarriage in 2021," she said the following month.

She added that Reese was “over the moon excited about being a big sister. She loves babies and she is already telling us all the things she’s going to teach Jack how to do. She always amazes us but watching her become a big sister is remarkable.”

In December 2023, Laura shared that Jack experienced health complications over the holiday season and was on the mend after receiving medical care. Although she didn't disclose details, she revealed that "he has a long recovery ahead" but is expected to completely heal.

He’s a realtor and co-owns a car dealership

After retiring from professional baseball, Rutledge became a financial advisor at Wells Fargo for three years and dove into the real estate world in 2022.

Currently, he's a realtor with Coldwell Banker West Hartford in Connecticut and is also licensed in Massachusetts. He often shares his listings on Instagram and expresses his enthusiasm about his latest career move.

"I’ve always loved exploring homes and land so I couldn’t be more excited to help people with any real estate needs they have," he wrote in his official announcement.

Rutledge also co-owns West Alabama Ford, a full-service Ford dealership in Sulligent, Alabama. He shared the news on Instagram in September 2022 with a photo of himself posing in front of the dealership.

“The newest partners of West Alabama Ford! We would love to business with you!” he captioned it.

He enjoys fishing and hunting

Rutledge is an outdoorsman and has a passion for hunting and fishing. He likes to bow hunting, and has shared multiple photos on Instagram of his fishing catches, including Mahi-mahi, bigmouth bass, amber jack and more.

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