Mina Kimes Praised For Calling Out Her ESPN Coworker, Nick Saban
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Nick Saban appeared on ESPN’s First Take this morning and continued advocating for the controversial “Protect College Sports Act” making its way through Congress. There was one argument Saban made that didn’t sit well with analyst Mina Kimes.
During his appearance on First Take, Saban argued that player pay and coach pay are “totally different market” and should be different under federal law.
“That’s like asking me ‘Does a student’s scholarship equal the professor’s pay?’ I mean, how much value does a coach create for a university?” Saban said.
But Kimes took to X later and had a question of her own regarding the value that coaches and athletes generate for universities.
“If athletes create less value, then surely universities would be comfortable letting the free market decide, no?” Kimes wrote.
If athletes create less value, then surely universities would be comfortable letting the free market decide, no? https://t.co/9wXG3HNnRI
— Mina Kimes (@minakimes) September 29, 2026
Fans Applaud Mina
Fans haven’t appreciated the way that ESPN and other analysts have praised and supported the Protect College Sports Act. As a result, a good number of fans supported Kimes challenging Saban’s remarks, even if she couldn’t do so to his face:
“Tuscaloosa did an economic impact study during COVID and said the 8/9 home football games during the season created about $200m in economic value. They ain’t there so see coaches yell on a headset,” one user wrote.
“Let’s see how famous Saban would be for literally anything without his players,” another remarked.
“Sucks that ESPN doesn’t have the balls to have Mina Kimes in the studio to challenge Saban on this because I’d love to hear his answer to this question,” a third wrote.
“Mina, were you not included on the ESPN ‘Protect College Sports Act’ talking points email?”
Of course, there were plenty of people who had arguments in support of Saban’s viewpoint.
The fact that there is so much contention is the main reason that it’s taken so long for the bill to even get through the Senate.
It now heads to the House of Representatives where the initial reports are that it’s not even going to see the light of day until after the midterms and might be dead on arrival.
By the time it actually goes for a vote, it might not look anything like the version that Saban is advocating for right now.
This story was originally published by The Spun on Sep 29, 2026, where it first appeared in the Sports Media section. Add The Spun as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
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