Stephen A. Smith is set to remain a prominent figure on ESPN for the foreseeable future. ESPN announced on Friday that Smith has reached a new five-year agreement to extend his role with the network following extensive negotiations over the past year. Although financial terms were not disclosed by ESPN, reports indicate that the deal is worth at least $100 million, according to sources familiar with the agreement.
Smith was due for a contract renewal as his previous one was set to expire in July. The news of the extension was first reported by The Athletic on Thursday. During an episode of “First Take” on Friday morning, Smith expressed his enthusiasm about the extension, stating, “I’ve got a lot of things that I want to achieve and accomplish in my life that extend beyond this show and beyond the world of sports. But it all starts here. I’m always proud to be associated with this network.” Smith joyfully added that he is thrilled to continue his association with ESPN for many more years.
With this extension, Smith becomes the highest-paid on-air talent at ESPN, second to Tom Brady as the most well-compensated sports host or commentator, who has a 10-year contract averaging $37.5 million annually with Fox Sports. Smith will maintain his position as the leading personality and executive producer on “First Take,” ESPN’s leading morning show. Since joining in 2012, Smith has seen “First Take” grow significantly in viewership, particularly after the departure of his former co-host Skip Bayless.
In addition to his role on “First Take,” Smith will expand his involvement in NFL programming and is anticipated to secure a regular spot on “Monday Night Countdown,” having appeared occasionally in the past. Meanwhile, he will continue contributing to ESPN’s NBA coverage.
Outside of sports broadcasting, Smith has the flexibility to explore his personal interests through Mr. SAS Productions, his own production company. He runs a popular YouTube show and podcast covering a broad range of topics and has made appearances on platforms like CNN and Fox News to discuss political matters. Despite ESPN’s chairman, Jimmy Pitaro’s general policy of restricting political commentary from his talent, Smith enjoys an exception due to his unique status.
Pitaro lauded Smith’s contributions to sports media, stating, “Stephen A. works incredibly hard to elevate the sports conversation day-in and day-out and we are grateful he will remain at ESPN.” Smith’s dynamic presence, sharp insights, and compelling commentary have made him indispensable to the network.
Interestingly, Smith has been speculated as a potential presidential candidate for the Democratic Party in the 2028 election. While appearing on “The Tonight Show” with Jimmy Fallon, Smith humorously addressed this speculation, emphasizing that he enjoys his career and is not actively pursuing a political path.
Recently, Stephen A. Smith was spotted courtside at a Los Angeles Lakers’ game, where the team secured a 113-109 victory in overtime against the New York Knicks. However, not everyone was pleased with Smith’s presence. Lakers star LeBron James had a heated exchange with Smith after the game concerning remarks Smith had made about LeBron’s son, Bronny James, on “First Take.”
Smith addressed this encounter on the following episode of the show, acknowledging James’s reaction and understanding his position as a father, saying he respected James’s response and the confrontation was more about family than basketball.
