ESPN’s Mina Kimes has spent over a decade analyzing football, yet she remains a frequent target for critics who question her authority. And the reason for such scrutiny is simply that she never played the game. In 2022, she criticized Jimmy Garoppolo, and former NFL quarterback Jeff Garcia fired back, asking, “Who the hell is Mina Kimes, and when is the last time she threw a touchdown pass in a game?”

Once again, the veteran commentator finds herself at the center of internet backlash over her commentary. But this time, the controversy stems not from her football analysis, but from a sarcastic comment about parenting.

“It’s like simultaneously pouring molasses into your brain and lighting it on fire. I think it has been the most helpful thing. So there you go, Zoomers. There’s no reason to have children,” said Mina Kimes about having a baby as a way to escape the endless pull of smartphones in an interview with Wired.

While the message was intended sarcastically, some people online took the statement seriously, saying, “One of the most out of touch things I’ve read in a while…and that’s saying something.”

Instead of arguing about having children, she was joking that spending time with her child could keep her away from her phone. But as the reaction grew, Kimes appeared to realize that the humor was not translated to everyone.

“Read the comments and learned another reason to stay off social media: PEOPLE CANNOT TELL WHEN YOU’RE JOKING,” Kimes wrote on her IG story after reading the comments on the Wired interview.

The NFL reporter joked about struggling to spend more than 15 minutes on social media platforms, while also revealing some particular digital habits, including keeping her phone unlocked and practicing what she describes as an almost religious commitment to inbox zero.

Kimes and her husband, music producer Nick Sylvester, welcomed their first child, a baby boy, in the fall of 2023. Kimes announced his arrival live on air during the 2023 Monday Night Football broadcast before the Seahawks faced the Giants.

She has spoken about parenthood before and what could be the best things about being a parent now.

“There’s a million things I could point to. Kind of how it rewires you to see the world in a different way and makes you simultaneously more optimistic and anxious,” Kimes said a while back. “I feel better than ever about humanity because I witness, oh, this pure sunshine, but then you’re also concerned all the time and scared.”

However, in this case, the ESPN host was leaning into comedy, poking fun at the modern obsession with staying glued to a screen. But what began as a playful jab became a discussion about parenthood.