Stephen A. Smith Blasts Former NFL Player's 'Sexist' Comments on Female Analyst

ESPN commentator Stephen A. Smith blasted former NFL quarterback Jeff Garcia on Friday morning for his comments that one female analyst can never "truly understand the ability, the mindset, the physical and mental toughness that it takes to play the QB position or any position in the NFL."

Mina Kimes, an NFL analyst and ESPN writer, said Tuesday on ESPN's First Take that San Francisco 49ers quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo was not the reason the team has been winning games.

"They're winning with him, but not because of him ... He posted the second-lowest QBR in 15 years [against the Packers]," she said.

She added that since he joined the team, Garoppolo had thrown two touchdown passes and five interceptions in the postseason.

"These are not advanced statistics. The dude is just simply not helping them win," she said.

Garcia, who played for the 49ers, railed against her comments in a now-deleted Instagram post.

"The fact that there are people out there given a platform to talk about something that they have never done is hilarious and that's how you have to look at her, she's a joke! So let's just laugh at her and support Jimmy, root on our Niners to go out and beat the living f**k out of one more team. That's what it takes. She will never know that feeling. Can I get an amen? Peace," the post read.

On Friday's edition of First Take, Smith decried the comments as "ridiculous and, quite frankly, sexist." He pointed out that he has never played football professionally, and listed several other male commentators, analysts and others who talk about sports they have never played.

"The list goes on and on and on, but you're going to point the finger at her, who I believe does a sensational job," Smith said.

"We have women doing outstanding jobs in this business and they deserve their credit and they deserve their respect," he added.

Smith noted that Kimes' comments on Garoppolo were in line with what he has been saying for years.

"Anybody who knows a scintilla about football understands that while Jimmy G is no scrub, he ain't the reason the San Francisco 49ers are winning football games," he said.

"She wasn't off kilter, and the fact that you would choose to call her out like that is just incredibly disrespectful," he said, addressing Garcia directly. "It's sexist. I'll give you credit for this though, Jeff Garcia. If the one thing that you said that has gone in anything newsworthy because nobody gives a damn about what you have to say."

Kimes, who also made a joke that Garoppolo was like the student who got an A on a group project "while doing none of the work," also responded to the criticism.

"Apparently I was the only person last week to point out Jimmy Garoppolo didn't play well," Kimes said in another now-deleted tweet with a screenshot of Garcia's Instagram caption.

Several other current and former media colleagues also rallied around Kimes after Garcia's response.

Sports television and podcast host Katie Nolan tweeted: "if mina kimes makes you *that* mad, I can all but guarantee it ain't mina kimes you're mad at."

Marcus Spears, another ESPN analyst, also stood behind her.

"Yooo @minakimes we applying that pressure on they ass !! They losing their minds lol!!! You love to see it Go Cry Jeff FOH," he tweeted.