Beyond her NFL knowledge or her thoughtful commentary on social issues, Mina Kimes might otherwise be best known for the way she dunks on her social media haters when necessary.
When a particularly repulsive reply comes across Kimes’ feed, she does not hesitate to give it right back. Whether that means making fun of a man’s romantic past or going long on what she sees as the real meaning of “DEI,” Kimes isn’t shy.
In a recent episode of the South Beach Sessions podcast with Dan Le Batard, Kimes explained why her continued responses to online agitators are fueled by conversations with other women in the sports media business.
“A big part of the reason [that] every now and then, I punch back, is women love it,” Kimes said.
“The number one thing, when I meet young women in the industry … they’re like, ‘I saw you dunk on this dude and it just made me feel so good.’ They’re like, ‘Just for once, one of us hit back and won.’ I hope that doesn’t sound like I’m … justifying my own trolling because it makes me a role model. But I swear to god, it is the first thing women tell me, is that they love it.”
Despite rising to a full-time NFL analyst at ESPN in 2020, Kimes remains the only woman in this role on a major network. Of course, talking smack to her social media audience is not the only way in which Kimes helps younger analysts.
Kimes is involved with the Association for Women in Sports Media and has been open about her experiences working through pregnancy and motherhood at ESPN, around the same time as NFL Live co-host Laura Rutledge.
Beyond all of that, Kimes believes that excelling in her role is the best way to ensure others come up behind her.
“I would say less (pressure to be) careful, and more like there’s pressure to be perfect, right? And not make mistakes, and to be extra prepared and be 110 percent,” Kimes said. “And that, to me, is the best role model I can be, is doing my job really well and having the respect of the players I’m around. That’s the best thing I can do for young women (in the industry).”
From The Ringer’s Nora Princiotti to digital personalities like Lucy Rohden, a new generation is finding bigger opportunities behind Kimes. They are also no doubt subject to frequent diatribes about their gender, their appearance, and their lack of playing experience.
If Mina Kimes can be great on ESPN airwaves and demonstrate that she can do the job at a high level, it will make it that much easier to hire the next woman in a similar role. And maybe by that point, there will be a few fewer idiots online barking at that commentator in their mentions.