Sports commentator Stephen A. Smith has inked a new deal with ESPN for nearly $8 million per year for five years. This makes him the network’s highest-paid sportscaster, sources told the New York Post.
With this move, Smith will make nearly as much as some of NB stars he covers make. As one person tweeted: “Stephen A. Smith’s new ESPN deal will reportedly pay him the same salary as Lou Williams ($8,000,000) and more than Luka Doncic ($7,683,360), Derrick Rose ($7,317,074) and Jayson Tatum ($7,830,000) among others. Congratulations, Stephen A!”
Smith, who received some money upfront, will continue to co-host the daily morning show “First Take.” He will also appear on “SportsCenter” and the network’s NBA coverage. ESPN also announced that Smith will host his own edition of “SportsCenter” at 7 p.m. on Wednesdays before NBA games, Sports Illustrated reported. Smith will exit his national ESPN Radio show in 2020.
There might be more changes to come for the sports journalist. “ESPN wants to try to find a fit for Smith on its direct-to-consumer subscription service, ESPN+, and for him to continue to be active through his and their social media channels,” The Post reported.
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Now, well into his second act with ESPN, Smith, 52, has more of a routine.
He joined ESPN in 2005.
Smith has been known to shake things up in the sports world with his comments. Most recently, he claimed that Colin Kaepernick wants to be a martyr and that the former NFLer isn’t looking to help anyone.
He went on a nearly three-minute rant about Kaepernick. Smith “posted a video on Twitter criticizing the free-agent quarterback for his handling of an NFL-arranged workout session earlier in the day,” Deadline reported. At the last minute Kaerpernick changes the location of the workout session from the Atlanta Falcons training complex in Flowery Branch, Georgia, to a high school field about 60 miles away in Riverdale in order, said Kaepernick’s representatives, to accommodate the media, Deadline reported. Smth took offense at this.
“Twenty five teams show up in Georgia at the Atlanta Falcons practice facility — state of the art facility, NFL personnel, equipment, video, everything, and what does Colin Kaepernick do,” Smith said, “Colin Kaepernick wants to change the venue.”
“He don’t want to play,” he added. “He wants to be a martyr.”
“You don’t want to work. You just want to make noise and you want to control the narrative,” Smith insisted, adding, “It’s over.”
