Mina Kimes could potentially succeed Suzy Kolber on ESPN's Monday Night Countdown

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There’s growing buzz that ESPN will replace Suzy Kolber, a long-time face of the network, with Mina Kimes, one of its best up-and-coming talents.

Kolber, a 38-year veteran of sports journalism, hosted ESPN’s Monday Night Countdown. She’d been with the network for most of her adult life. But on Friday, she was one of 20 cost-cutting layoffs at ESPN as part of Disney’s months-long effort to decrease the payroll.

Front Office Sports predicts that Mina Kimes would replace Suzy Kolber. And it does make sense, with the network promoting from within its own ranks. FOS noted that Kimes’ contract is expiring soon. She may be recruited by Dan Le Batard’s Meadowlark Media and/or Bill Simmons’ The Ringer.

Or Kimes could stay loyal to ESPN, the media entity that started her sports journalism career. The Yale grad began her professional life as a business investigative reporter. ESPN hired her as a writer in 2014. And by 2020, the network promoted her to on-air NFL analyst.

NFL analysts Suzy Kolber, Steve Young, Robert Griffith III, Alex Smith, and Booger McFarland hosted ESPN’s Monday Night Football Countdown pre-game show. The network laid off Kolber and Young, June 30.. (Scott Taetsch/Getty Images)

When sports fans see Kolber, it’s difficult not to think ESPN. After all, she was an original anchor on ESPN2 when it went on air in 1993. She left the network for Fox, then returned to ESPN in 1999. She isn’t only about football. Kolber anchored ESPN’s coverage of events as disparate as the X Games, Wimbledon and NASCAR. But she was most known for her football coverage. She worked as a sideline reporter for Monday Night Football, then moved to pre-game coverage.

Her last major assignment was MNF. She hosted the countdown show with Steve Young, Robert Griffin III, Alex Smith and Booger McFarland. ESPN also cut Young, the Pro Football Hall of Fame quarterback.

On Friday, Kolber tweeted “So grateful for a 38 (year) career! Longevity for a woman in this business is something I’m especially proud of. Next step- a project that gives back.”

Fans who religiously watch ESPN are also talking more than just Mina Kimes/Suzy Kolber. Layoffs also impacted ESPN’s coverage of the NBA. The network shocked many basketball fans when it cut Jeff Van Gundy, its lead NBA analyst who worked on a three-person team with Mark Jackson and Mike Breen. Front Office Sports predicted that Doris Burke steps in for van Gundy. FOS said another option could be JJ Redick.