ESPN’s Mina Kimes has dealt with plenty of negativity throughout her career. However, that hasn’t stopped her from becoming one of the most prominent NFL analysts.

In 2020, ESPN wisely made the decision to feature Kimes in its NFL coverage. She has made countless appearances on “First Take” and “SportsCenter” over the years. Of course, we can’t forget that she’s one of the main analysts on “NFL Live” every Monday through Friday during the regular season and playoffs.

Despite being one of the most accomplished members in her industry, Kimes constantly receives negative comments on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter.

Countless people have accused Kimes of not being qualified to talk about the NFL. A lot of those remarks come from people who don’t actually watch her content.

During an appearance on the “South Beach Sessions” podcast, Kimes explained why she occasionally claps back at internet trolls.

NEW YORK, NEW YORK – MAY 21: Mina Kimes attends the 45th Annual Sports Emmy Awards at Jazz at Lincoln Center on May 21, 2024 in New York City. (Photo by John Nacion/WireImage)

John Nacion/Getty Images

Kimes said her willingness to exchange words with online critics inspires other women in sports media.

“A big part of the reason that every now and then, I punch back, is women love it,” Kimes said, via Awful Announcing. “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.”

Kimes, who is involved with the Association for Women in Sports Media, has clearly learned how to handle all the nonsense social media throws her way.

With that said, we’ll see if Kimes inspires others to occasionally dish out some jabs.