NFL fans react as Mina Kimes as ESPN analyst lands hosting gig outside football domain

kiran
Uncategorized
May 6, 2026
NFL fans react as Mina Kimes as ESPN analyst lands hosting gig outside football domain


Mina Kimes is usually known for her insights into the NFL, but she will be delving into something different later this month.

On Tuesday, it was announced that the ESPN analyst would be hosting the Scripps National Spelling Bee at Constitution Hall in downtown Washington DC from May 26 to 28. She is the first celebrity to do so since LeVar Burton in 2022.

In an interview with the Associated Press, Kimes, herself a three-time spelling bee champion in elementary, said:

“My goal in this is to give it the big-game feel.Any event that requires skill and knowledge and preparation can have that feel if it’s presented with enough care and pride on television.”

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She also drew parallels with her NFL work when discussing how she has been preparing for the event:

“It honestly does feel a little bit like watching game tape because I really think these kids are elite competitors, not just in terms of being the best of the best, but you can see all of the work that they so clearly put in. The way they get to the right answer is fascinating to me, and the more you watch, the more you see the way their brains work.”

ESPN’s Mina Kimes will serve as host of the 2026 Scripps National Spelling Bee semifinals and finals – May 27 and May 28 – on ION. Kimes is a three-time school spelling bee champion herself, per sources.

The announcement drew mixed reactions from fans:

@AdamSchefter Finally a job she’s actually qualified for

@AdamSchefter @roybelly Can she spell Pulitzer Torre without thinking of a 🐀

@AdamSchefter I’ve heard the Spelling Bee has gone soft recently, happy Mina is there to right the ship.

@AdamSchefter Finally, a hosting gig where she gets to spell ‘touchdown’ correctly. Congrats Mina this is bee-utiful casting.

@AdamSchefter Nice full-circle moment going from spelling bee champion to hosting the national stage is pretty inspiring. Mina Kimes brings both credibility and personality, so this could make the competition even more engaging to watch. 📚✨

The event will air on the ION and Bounce channels, which are both owned by Scripps.

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Mina Kimes gets candid on Josiah Trotter’s potential with Buccaneers

Back on the subject of football, Mina Kimes has been on a hiatus from her eponymous show.

Late last month, while discussing the biggest gainers and losers from the draft, she said this about new Tampa Bay Buccaneers linebacker Josiah Trotter, who went off the board 46th overall (from 17:07 in the embed below):

“I think he’s still developing. … I don’t know how flat high his ceiling is in terms of a coverage linebacker. I do think he has the ability to become like Nick Bolton. … That’s a comparable player. I see some of those traits there. I think he could really help them against the run.”

The Buccaneers’ rookie minicamp begins this Friday.