Mina Kimes Claps Back At Ryan Leaf Post Jake Browning’s Critique

Following backup Jake Browning’s injury-affected substitution for starter Joe Burrow in the Cincinnati Bengals’ Thursday Night Football game against the Baltimore Ravens, ESPN’s Mina Kimes rushed to social media to share her thoughts as an NFL commentator and fan of Browning’s alma university.

Mina Kimes Claps Back At Ryan Leaf Post Jake Browning’s Critique

“As a UW fan who watched Jake Browning for four years, I’ll say this…” Kimes wrote on X (formerly Twitter). “Dude sure can punt!”

When Leaf saw the tweet, she wasn’t very happy about it.

I guess @ESPN is just the place where you go to shit on people now as analysts. Good to know. WTAF

Then Kimes did a backflip, stating that not every guy is ready to make an NFL debut.

“Ryan, we’re allowed to think players aren’t NFL-caliber starters  and say so. This is hardly a savage critique,” Kimes tweeted.

It was easy to see through Kimes’ analysis; she obviously thinks more highly of Browning’s punting skills than of his quarterbacking skills. In his four seasons with the Huskies, Browning averaged a good but unspectacular 35.3 yards per kick. A good joke from a humorist analyst who has a history of using humor, particularly on social media.

Leaf would have none of it.

“So he’s Dan Orlovsky or Chase Daniel,” he wrote back. “Ok, I’d disagree, I’m just not gonna call an NFL QB a punter after 30 mins of analysis before I’d succumb to the very hyperbolic ‘NFL caliber starter’ I’m clearly just too close to this I guess, and am empathetic to a peer & friend in Jake who I believe can be a very capable NFL starter just like Dan & Chase.”

Kimes tried her hardest to take the high road during the conversation, but she also made it clear that she stood by her opinion.

“Well let me be clear about one thing—I loved watching him at UW. Incredible career,” she replied. “My view on him as a prospect—which is what I was conveying  there—doesn’t change that. And I’d love to be wrong.”

Given that there is typically a decline in performance between an NFL starter and a backup, Kimes is correct.

In this instance, there is particularly a dropoff because Browning is an average backup quarterback and Joe Burrow is one of the top three quarterbacks in the NFL.

If Burrow is forced to miss time due to an injured wrist, the Bengals could have to depend on Browning for at least a little amount of the final stretch.

 

 

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