Ex-49ers QB Jeff Garcia refuses to back down on criticism of ESPN's Mina Kimes for Jimmy Garoppolo comments

Former NFL quarterback Jeff Garcia had choice words for ESPN analyst Mina Kimes this week after she criticized the recent play of 49ers quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo. Garcia's comments quickly made the rounds and had many people jumping to Kimes' defense.

Garcia had an opportunity to apologize but chose not to. Instead, he angrily doubled down. He said he didn't owe Kimes an apology and isn't sexist. He also made it perfectly clear that he doesn't care about any backlash he may receive.

"Well, first of all, I don’t owe anybody an apology for my beliefs and my experience at playing the quarterback position. The difficulty of that position, the expectation on that position, how qualified you have to be one of 32 starters in the National Football League from a mental standpoint, from a physical standpoint. People want to comment and tear apart, tear down individuals based upon statistics — the only statistic that matters right now is are you winning game or are you losing games? There was nothing sexist from what I had to say, outside of the fact that, yes, women don’t play professional football, there are women that do participate in football, but had it been a man saying the same thing, I would’ve had the same response for that man, who has never stood in the pocket, who has never delivered a touchdown pass, who has never taken a hit to the head while trying to make a play from within the pocket."

The former 49ers QB and four-time Pro Bowler made his comments on the Steiny & Guru show on 95.7 THE GAME in San Francisco. He claimed he was simply responding on a post on his feed that featured the video of Kimes' analysis and didn't know who she was. He also said he simply wanted to offer his support to Garoppolo.

"Hey, he knows he has to play better. We're all very self-critical at this level of how we play the game. If we're not, we wouldn't be at this level. He's more critical of himself than anybody else maybe. It just so happened that [Kimes] was the mouth on the end of the video post that was shared. If it would’ve been Skip Bayless, if it would have been you, if it would have been anybody else that I had seen that ripping into the 49ers quarterback, I would’ve said the same thing. It had nothing to do with her being a woman, it just so happened to be the timing that I caught the subject matter."

Garcia then listed his accomplishments as an undrafted NFL player and repeated that no one who hasn't played can analyze the sport.

Kimes said, in essence, that the 49ers have gotten to the NFC championship game in spite of Garoppolo.

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"Jimmy Garoppolo isn’t the reason they’re winning," Kimes said during "First Take" on Tuesday morning. "They're winning with him, but not because of him. . . . He posted the second-lowest QBR in 15 years [against the Packers]."

Garcia took particular umbrage with that, pointing out that Kimes has never played football. And that, in turn, had people jumping in to back Kimes.

"Who the hell is Mina Kimes and when is the last time she threw a touchdown pass in a game? Never! Ever! has she taken a snap or can 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. 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."

Garoppolo has completed 27 of 44 passes for 303 yards and two interceptions in the Niners' two playoff games this year.