Mina Kimes has built her reputation around being the smartest person in the room rather than simply another hot-take personality, and that reputation extends far beyond her role as an analyst on NFL Live at ESPN. Before entering the NFL media, Kimes came from a research-heavy investigative journalism background that earned her widespread recognition.

And in many ways, her recent appearance on Celebrity Jeopardy! All Stars reflected exactly that. Per reports, Kimes correctly answered the game-deciding trivia question to win the show’s $1 million top prize for her charity. She competed against actor-comedians Ike Barinholtz and Steven Weber.

“….well that happened @Jeopardy,” Kimes posted on her official X handle after winning the tournament.

The final episode, which aired Friday night, eventually came down to Final Jeopardy! At that stage, Kimes held $12,500, Weber followed with $10,500, and Barinholtz sat at $5,100. The clue under the category “Name’s the Same” read: “It’s the name of an 1873 novel subtitled ‘A Tale of Today,’ a period of U.S. history & a TV drama that debuted in 2022.”

And while Barinholtz also answered correctly with “The Gilded Age,” Kimes had already built enough of a lead to secure the tournament victory and the $1 million prize for L.A.’s SELAH Neighborhood Homeless Coalition. Meanwhile, Barinholtz won $200,000 for the Noonan Syndrome Foundation, while Weber earned $200,000 for New Directions for Veterans.

For Kimes, though, the moment also reflected a career built around research, reading, and analytical thinking. In a way, even her English degree from Yale University quietly showed up during the final trivia round.

Before joining ESPN, Kimes worked at Fortune and Bloomberg while earning awards from both the New York Press Club and the National Press Club. One of her most recognized works came in 2012 through her investigation “Bad to the Bone,” which exposed dangerous medical practices tied to bone cement procedures and later earned her the Henry R. Luce Award.

Then, after writing a Tumblr essay about the bond she shared with her father through the Seattle Seahawks, ESPN eventually offered her a role in 2014. Since then, the 40-year-old has grown into one of the network’s most recognizable NFL analysts while continuing to lean on the same research-driven approach that first built her reputation.

And after winning the tournament as a contestant, Kimes is now heading into another one. Only this time, she will not be behind the podium answering questions. Instead, the ESPN analyst is set to step into the role of a host.

Mina Kimes takes over as Scripps National Spelling Bee host

After winning Celebrity Jeopardy! All Stars, Mina Kimes is now heading to host the 101-year-old Scripps National Spelling Bee. In doing so, the ESPN analyst will become the first celebrity host to lead the tournament since LeVar Burton in 2022, the same year Scripps took over the broadcast rights from ESPN and shifted the event to ION Television and Bounce TV.

“My goal in this is to give it the big-game feel,” Kimes told Associated Press. “Any event that requires skill and knowledge and preparation can have that feel if it’s presented with enough care and pride on television…It honestly does feel a little bit like watching game tape because I really think these kids are elite competitors, not just in terms of being the best of the best, but you can see all of the work that they so clearly put in.

“The way they get to the right answer is fascinating to me and the more you watch, the more you see the way their brains work. I see a lot of similarities to what I do with football, and I’m so pumped to be a part of this.”

The tournament is scheduled to run from May 26 through May 28 at its new venue, Constitution Hall in downtown Washington, with 247 contestants competing for a trophy and more than $50,000 in cash and prizes. Along with bringing in Kimes as host, Scripps is also introducing a new production team led by Michael Davies, who currently serves as executive producer of Jeopardy!.

So after using her investigative and research-heavy background to win Celebrity Jeopardy! All Stars, Kimes is now stepping into another competition entirely. Only this time, she will not be competing. She will be the one hosting the stage.