Mina Kimes

Mina Kimes was born on September 8, 1985, in Omaha, Nebraska, and later moved to Arizona during her teenage years. She graduated summa cum laude from Yale University in 2007 with a Bachelor of Arts in English. Her career began in business journalism at Fortune Small Business Magazine in 2007. Kimes quickly established herself as an investigative reporter, earning accolades from organizations such as the New York Press Club, the National Press Club, and the Asian American Journalists Association. Her work focused on critical business issues, including a 2012 investigation titled “Bad to the Bone,” which exposed the unauthorized use of cement in bone tissue repair, leading to patient deaths, and earned her the Henry R. Luce Award.

In 2013, Kimes joined Bloomberg News as an investigative reporter. During her tenure there, she gained further recognition for her detailed profiles of business executives, specifically Doug Oberhelman of Caterpillar and Eddie Lampert of Sears, which earned her a Front Page Award for business reporting. This period showcased her ability to delve into complex financial narratives and present them clearly. Her transition to sports journalism began in 2014 when ESPN extended an offer after reading her essay on Tumblr about her connection with her father and the Seattle Seahawks.

At ESPN, Kimes’s career evolved significantly. She started covering young sports superstars and writing profiles of NFL players like Aaron Rodgers, Darrelle Revis, and Baker Mayfield. Her versatility allowed her to contribute to various ESPN programs, including “Around the Horn,” “First Take,” and “NFL Live.” She launched “The Mina Kimes Show featuring Lenny” podcast and hosted the “ESPN Daily” podcast from 2019 to 2020. In 2020, she was appointed an NFL analyst for the relaunched “NFL Live,” solidifying her role as a leading voice in sports analysis. Kimes has also engaged in other sports-related work, such as serving as a color commentator for Los Angeles Rams preseason games in 2019.