Stephen A. Smith Agrees to $100 Million, Five-Year ESPN Contract, Source Confirms | VIDEO

foraa754@gmail.comMarch 9, 2025

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Stephen A. Smith Agrees to 0 Million, Five-Year ESPN Contract, Source Confirms | VIDEO

*Love him or hate, Stephen A. Smith is here to stay at ESPN. At least for the next half decade. According to NBC New York, Smith agreed with the sports network on a new five-year contract worth $100M. A person familiar with the situation confirmed the deal to CNBC.

As one of ESPN’s most well-known and most-used on-air personalities, Smith’s reup with the sports network should come as no supers. The former newspaper beat reporter is known for unfiltered opinion on various issues and topics as well as a far-reaching influence that spans inside and beyond the NBA and sports overall.

Although Smith will continue to appear on ESPN’s morning sports-debate show “First Take,” The Athletic reports the new deal will affect his time on the NBA pregame show next season as he will no longer be a figurehead.

The contract extension will also enable Smith to fall back on other ESPN appearances.

At this time, CNBC has not confirmed any changes in his role at ESPN, which refused to weigh in with NBC News on the contract deal.

More time outside of ESPN could be in store for Smith, with diving into non-sports discussion more often. In recent years, the former newspaper beat reporter has put himself in a different light with such talk, even weighing in on politics on his own show and Fox News.

Believe or not, there are those who have even put Smith in the field of possible presidential candidates in 2028, a point he downplayed during a recent appearance on NBC’s “The Tonight Show” on Wednesday.

“I’m saying, wait a minute now, I don’t want to do this,” Smith told host Jimmy Fallon. “But the fact that they’re talking about me this way, I must say, I approve this message.”

So what say you? Can you see Stephen A. Smith as a legitimate candidate to run for president in the next election? Or should he stay in his lane on the small screen with just his take on current topics?