Report: ESPN Signs Fan-Favorite NFL Analyst Mina Kimes to Huge New Contract
NFL analyst Mina Kimes and ESPN have agreed on a new contract that will see the fan favorite get paid over $1.7 million per year, according to the New York Post’s Andrew Marchand. That, alongside her separate deal with Peyton Manning’s Omaha Productions for her podcast, will now push Kimes’s yearly earnings past $2 million.
Kimes is best known as an analyst for NFL Live but appears on several of ESPN’s other shows and podcasts. Her role will essentially stay the same and the new deal puts an end to her free agency. It’s unclear how long the new contract is for, but the company is looking to lock up their top talent through their Super Bowl year in 2026-27.
The new contract will give Kimes some security, and a significant pay raise. Before the new deal, she was making less than $1 million, per the report. The big bump in her salary comes during an unfortunate time for the company, however.
ESPN laid off roughly 20 on-air employees in June and had vowed to be tighter when it comes to negotiations in the future, but losing Kimes obviously wasn’t something the top brass could stomach.