The Group Chat: The gals taking over the gridiron

The NFL community has come a long way when it comes to fan inclusion (aka making space for people who aren’t straight men). Think cuter gameday gear, an NFL fashion editor, and glowed-up tailgates — not to mention more opportunities for women creating league-related content (your favorite sports newsletter included *winks*).

• More women creating NFL content means more women consuming NFL content, and vice versa. It’s a virtuous cycle that makes the game more welcoming for everyone.

• So today, we’re chatting about a few women creators who are carving out a niche in the “football” corner of the internet…and bringing the girlies along with them.

📊 The Analyst: Mina Kimes

A The GIST HQ favorite, Kimes is an ESPN reporter and bonafide sports nerd. She has her own podcast, The Mina Kimes Show featuring Lenny (her dog), and co-hosts another show called Viewer Discretion. She’s a must-follow for her spot-on analysis of mind-blowing stats and her fire ’fits.

• As a commentator, she’s always formidably prepared and can go toe-to-toe with any male peer, and she does it while maintaining her signature humor (Kimes loves a meme) and her identity as an Asian-American woman and a mom. We have no choice but to stan.

😂 The Comedian: Annie Agar

Agar knows her stuff — she’s an NFL correspondent for Chicago Sports Network — but her solo content focuses on the funniest aspects of league dynamics. Her NFL meeting spoofs are part news update, part ruthless roast, all hilarious, while her game reactions are extremely relatable…especially when her Green Bay Packers lose in historic fashion.

• Agar perfectly captures the drama, bitterness, and rivalry that fuels fandom. If she posts, we’re watching.

✨ The Lifestyle Queen: Katie Feeney

Feeney first became popular in college (she’s a proud Penn State Nittany Lion), then leveraged that social media stardom and football expertise to land a gig with ESPN. Her content is more “influencer” than “analyst”: She posts about flying around the country to attend NCAA and NFL games and events, interviewing players about their interests off the field, and pranking her ESPN coworkers.

• Like all of these creators, Feeney proves that there’s an audience for off-field interests — and, more broadly, for young women — in the world of mainstream sports, no matter what misogynists say.

🧑‍🏫 The Professor: Mariah Rose, aka Hoops for Hotties

Rose is mostly a basketball girlie, but she’s been getting into the NFL too — and bringing her audience along with her. Her content niche? Education.

• Rose breaks things down for new and casual fans — you don’t need to know Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen’s blood type to appreciate her vids. Her approach is inclusive and welcoming, no matter your previous experience. A girl after our own hearts.

🖊️ The Designer: Emily Morgan

Graphic design really is her passion. Morgan combines her digital editing skills with her sports fandom to create wildly popular videos where she redesigns team logos. She freshens up dated imagery while infusing the logos with meaningful Easter eggs that pay tribute to the team’s history or unique personality.

• Morgan is a great example of someone combining specific skills, creativity, and love for team lore to create something completely original…and incredibly addicting to watch.