Stephen A. Smith, Mina Kimes Respond To Aaron Rodgers' ESPN Criticism

New York Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers recently went after the state of ESPN in 2024. On ESPN. 

Rodgers in his appearance this week on The Pat McAfee Show was asked by former teammate A.J. Hawk how discourse around the game had changed since the mid-2000's. 

"There’s a lot of people talking about the game now," Rodgers said. "Both non-former players and former players who are trying to stay relevant fame wise. So the takes and the criticism are a lot different than they were maybe in the mid-2000s."

"I’m talking about these experts on TV who nobody remembers what they did in their career," Rodgers continued. "So in order for them to stay relevant, they have to make comments that keep them in the conversation. That wasn’t going on in 2008, 2009. The SportsCenter of my youth, those guys made highlights so much fun. And that’s what they showed on SportsCenter. Now it’s all talk shows and people whose opinions are so important now and they believe they’re the celebrities now, they’re the stars for just being able to talk about sports or give a take about sports, many of which are unfounded or asinine, as we all know. But that’s the environment we’re in now."

And several ESPN personalities responded to Rodgers' comments on Thursday afternoon.

EAST RUTHERFORD, NJ - Aaron Rodgers of the New York Jets warms up prior to an NFL football game against the Indianapolis Colts at MetLife Stadium on November 17, 2024. (Photo by Cooper Neill/Getty Images)

Stephen A. Smith And Mina Kimes Respond To Aaron Rodgers

Stephen A. Smith and Mina Kimes discussed Rodgers' comments, particularly those saying that modern sports commentators on ESPN trend towards the "asinine."

"That wasn’t about me," Smith said. "Primarily, his points were made toward former athletes who are now in the media. 

"I knew he wasn’t talking about me when he said this, ‘[ESPN] wasn't like this back in 2008.’ No, no, I've been this way all my life… This ain’t about somebody like me. That man said former players who are trying to keep themselves relevant."

Kimes, in classic Mina Kimes fashion, claimed not to be offended, while acting pretty offended.

"I’m not offended by it at all," Kimes said. "He's espousing that opinion on a personality-driven program that employs him as a personality during the NFL season."

Rodgers' point may not have been directed at Mina Kimes, as she's obviously not a former player, but it absolutely applies to her. "Unfounded and asinine" takes have become part and parcel of the ESPN experience these days, and the network has moved towards the loudest voice in the room over fun, cutting edge personalities.

Kimes also seemed to be implying that Pat McAfee is representative of the negative changes Rodgers references, but McAfee is a completely different type of host than anyone else on ESPN now, or then. What makes him fun to watch is his enthusiasm and joy for the game. But he still has smart athletes like Rodgers on to talk football too. Kimes certainly wouldn't do that.