David Earl Ponder (born June 27, 1962 in Plant City, Florida) is a former American football defensive tackle who played one season for the Dallas Cowboys in the National Football League. Ponder attended Cairo High School in Cairo, Georgia.Ponder played college football at Florida State University where he was a three-year starter at defensive tackle for the Seminoles in the early 1980s. Ponder is the father of current 1st round quarterback of the Minnesota Vikings, Christian Ponder.