Stephen A. Smith is ESPN’s top personality, and for a while he has been paid like it. But that will soon change as Pat McAfee joins the network.
It’s been reported that McAfee’s contract with ESPN to bring his daily sports talk show to The Worldwide Leader is worth $84 million. But McAfee has refuted that number.
Regardless, McAfee will likely become the new highest-paid ESPN talent. And Stephen A. is totally fine with that.
“You have so many people that are looking at what he’s getting paid, it’s no secret that even though you don’t know the numbers I make, it’s clearly more than I’m making,” Smith said on his most recent episode of The Stephen A. Smith Show.
“Number one, I don’t give a damn,” Smith added. “He negotiated his deal a few weeks ago, I negotiated my deal a few years ago – the situation is not the same.”
Smith has appeared as a guest on McAfee’s show, and has made it very clear that he actually admires and respects Pat for rising to the level he has in sports media and still remained largely free of any corporate creative control. He also said he was inspired by McAfee to branch out and start his own non-sports-specific podcast K[no]w Mercy, which has since rebranded to The Stephen A. Smith Show.
“I appreciate Pat McAfee,” Smith said, noting that his current contract with ESPN is coming up in a couple years and that he’ll have a chance to negotiate a nicer deal for himself. “You think I’m looking at Pat McAfee and I’m upset? I’m thankful! Thank you! Appreciate it bro, thank you very, very much. Today is your turn. Tomorrow’s mine.”
Stephen A. also said he couldn’t believe some of the hate Pat has received. Smith said an opportunity like McAfee has only comes about if you bet on yourself. He respects that, and he’s not going to rain on or hate on Pat.
“Hate on him? I admire what he has done, I respect what he has done,” he said. “So much so that I’m doing it. Thank you for playing a part in showing the way and the wave of the future.”
