Mina Kimes admits her mistaken view on Geno Smith after Sam Darnold excels

Mina Kimes Owns Up to Past NFL Takes

Mina Kimes has a knack for owning her less-than-stellar predictions.

After the Seahawks secured their spot in the Super Bowl with a 31-27 victory over the Rams in the NFC Championship, a user on X highlighted an earlier critique from an ESPN figure and noted Seattle supporter. This individual had disparaged the team’s choice to move on from then-quarterback Geno Smith back in March 2025.

“Your empty words will fall on deaf ears. You thought losing Jeno was a mistake. It would be nice to pretend you were just wrong and never said anything,” the user remarked.

Kimes, who previously labeled Smith’s trade to Las Vegas as a “terrible move by Seattle” considering the slim chances of upgrading, admitted that being wrong is part of the learning process. “I did and I told you over and over again that I was wrong! We talked about it a lot on my pod. Part of the job is trying to understand our mistakes,” she responded to the user.

This discussion revolved around a post she made just days before the Seahawks finalized a three-year, $100 million deal with Darnold. In another update on Sunday, she acknowledged the timeline.

As for Smith, following the trade, he secured a two-year, $75 million extension with the Raiders but had a rough season, leading his team to a disappointing 3-14 record and resulting in them holding the No. 1 pick in the upcoming draft.

The Raiders now seem poised to select their future quarterback, and speculation suggests that Fernando Mendoza, a state champion from Indiana, may step in as the new coach after the dismissal of Pete Carroll.

The Seahawks, on the other hand, enjoyed a stellar first season with Darnold at the helm, finishing with a 14-3 record, clinching the top seed in the NFC, and earning a spot in the Super Bowl.

Darnold, originally a first-round pick by the Jets in 2018, had struggled previously but performed impressively in the NFC title game, throwing three touchdowns without any interceptions.

Seahawks head coach Mike McDonald remarked, “You can’t talk about the game without talking about our quarterback.” He indicated that Darnold “silenced a lot of people tonight,” expressing his pride in the quarterback’s performance.

Kimes expressed her excitement as well. “Hey…I’m really happy for Sam Darnold. We were in Arizona when he lost to the Rams last year — look at him now, from that low point to the Super Bowl. What a remarkable journey!”