Mina Kimes

NFL Analyst, Senior Writer, Podcast Host and Television Contributor

Award-winning journalist Mina Kimes is an NFL analyst, senior writer, podcast host and television contributor for ESPN. Since joining ESPN The Magazine in 2014, her profile has grown steadily across the company’s multimedia platforms, spanning digital and print, television, radio and podcasting. In June 2020, Kimes was named an NFL analyst, joining ESPN’s daily news and information show, NFL Live. She also offers football analysis on Get Up, SportsCenter, First Take and more, in addition to being a regular contributor to Around the Horn, Highly Questionable and The Dan Le Batard Show with Stugotz.

Kimes has been at the forefront of ESPN’s podcasting efforts. She hosts The Mina Kimes Show featuring Lenny football podcast and launched the ESPN Daily podcast in October 2019. The original host of ESPN Daily, Kimes remains a contributor in the NFL offseason.

A two-time finalist for the Dan Jenkins Medal for Excellence in Sportswriting, Kimes received a National Headliner Award first place honor in 2019 for magazine feature writing. Kimes has also earned numerous awards for business and investigative journalism. She was the inaugural recipient of the SABEW’s (Society of American Business Editors and Writers) Larry Birger Young Business Journalist prize, honoring journalists under age 30. Other organizations that have recognized her work include the New York Press Club, the National Press Club, and the Asian American Journalists Association (AAJA).

Kimes graduated summa cum laude from Yale University with a bachelor of arts in English.

In addition to her work with ESPN, Kimes has been an NFL analyst for local television broadcasts of Los Angeles Rams preseason games since 2018.

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About the Axthelm Memorial Program

The Pete and Bonnie Axthelm Memorial Program was established in 1994 at Marquette University (Milwaukee, Wisconsin) to acknowledge and recognize the life of Pete Axthelm and his sister Bonnie. Every year this program awards a scholarship to an outstanding Marquette journalism student with an expressed interest in sports journalism.

Pete Axthelm was one of America's foremost sports journalists. Although a Yale alum, he created ties to Marquette University while working on his critically acclaimed book, "The City Game," which covers the glory and tragedy of New York basketball. While writing and researching his book, Axthelm sought the expertise of such Marquette notables as Al McGuire, Pat Smith, and Dean Meminger.

During his distinguished career as a sportswriter and columnist for the New York Herald Tribune, Sports Illustrated and Newsweek, Pete established a reputation as a gifted journalist. His knowledge of sports combined with his journalistic skills led him to sports commentator positions for NBC and ESPN.

Bonnie Axthelm was among the highest ranking women at 3M Europe during her lifetime. She began her notable career as a secretary at Media Networks Incorporated, eventually rising through the company to hold the top position of Executive Director of Corporate Marketing and Public Affairs. Bonnie’s name was added to the memorial scholarship in after her death in 1998.

Past Axthelm Scholarship Recipients
Past Axthelm Lecture Speakers
Selected Works by Pete Axthelm