Ryan Leaf Blasts Mina Kimes After Her Insensitive Comment on Johnny Manziel’s Social Media Look-Alike Post
This article was originally published on Total Pro Sports.
ESPN’s Mina Kimes found herself in the eye of the storm again this week, after making a comment that didn’t sit well with plenty of NFL fans. The analyst has been involved in multiple controversies over the last year, including the Papaya Gaming scandal that involved fellow ESPN talent Stephen A. Smith, Laura Rutledge, and Kendrick Perkins.
A couple of weeks ago, she received huge backlash over her comments on the fatal Minnesota ICE shooting. Kimes’ skin has gotten thicker over the years, but that doesn’t mean she has learned to avoid unnecessary drama.
The latest involves a comment she made about Jacksonville Jaguars offensive coordinator Grant Udinski, who is a strong candidate to become the Cleveland Browns’ next head coach. After insider Adam Schefter reported that Udinski was in the running for the job, Kimes noted the coach’s likeness to former NFL quarterback Johnny Manziel, who failed dramatically with the Browns.
“This would be extremely funny solely bc he [Udinski] looks like if Johnny Manziel listened to his better angels,” Kimes wrote.
This would be extremely funny solely bc he looks like if Johnny Manziel listened to his better angels https://t.co/K2XX8YAqgv
— Mina Kimes (@minakimes) January 18, 2026
Former NFL QB Ryan Leaf Calls Out Mina Kimes Over Johnny Manziel Comment
Kimes’ joke rubbed a lot of people the wrong way, including former NFL quarterback Ryan Leaf. The former San Diego Chargers and Dallas Cowboys quarterback responded to the analyst, reminding her of all the battles Manziel had endured.
“The lack of perspective to simply try and get a laugh about someone’s brain disease and chemistry,” Leaf replied. “Dude is Bipolar, an alcoholic, and drug addict. The folks on @NFLLive and their constant perpetuating of the stigma around mental illness and substance use disorder is baffling!”
The lack of perspective to simply try and get a laugh about someone’s brain disease and chemistry. Dude is Bipolar, an alcoholic, and drug addict. The folks on @NFLLive and their constant perpetuating of the stigma around mental illness and substance use disorder is baffling! https://t.co/PG0QKo2srp
— Ryan D Leaf (@RyanDLeaf) January 18, 2026
Many fans criticized Kimes, too, even mocking her prior incidents, claiming she would eventually apologize over this tweet. After six days, nothing has happened. Still, many found the comment distasteful.
