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One of the biggest names synonymous with ESPN is Stephen A. Smith, and now his colorful commentary is paying off once again.
The man who gets paid to talk about sports is potentially about to make more than the stars he reports on, according to The Athletic’s Andrew Marchand.
Smith’s reportedly looking at a six-year contract in the range of $120 million, but despite the hefty bag Smith refused to confirm the number. The Athletic asked if Smith was close to closing a deal with ESPN, only responding, “False.”
“Here’s my quote, ‘I was born AT NIGHT, not last night,” he added. “I don’t talk about my contract negotiations. Never have. Never will.”
It all started with Variety‘s report that the two parties were close to signing another deal. However, it was bigger than just a six-figure payday, as Smith could also get a “first-look” agreement and possibly other Smith-backed shows across the Disney Universe.
If the deal ends up getting signed, it would cement ESPN’s latest direction of focusing on new talent and big personalities, including nabbing Troy Aikman and Joe Buck for Monday Night Football and Pat McAfee, who left Fanduel in 2019 for ESPN and reportedly signed a deal worth $85 million over five years. McAfee’s deal may have set a precedent, and with Smith arguably being the face of ESPN and the provider of many viral clips on social media, he’d likely command even more.
Smith’s been with ESPN since 2003, hosting his own show, Quite Frankly with Stephen A. Smith, before it was canceled. He briefly left the company for a few years before returning in 2012 as a co-host of First Take opposite Skip Bayless. Bayless would eventually leave for FS1, and Smith’s boisterous takes and over-the-top delivery began to dominate the social media era. He soon became one of the most sought-after voices in sports, ushering in his current contract, which is said to be worth around $12 million a year.
See how social media is reacting to Smith’s potential new deal below.