Shannon Sharpe and ESPN reportedly nearing multi-year contract

Shannon Sharpe is expected to be a mainstay at ESPN for years to come, as the two sides are reportedly nearing a new contract.

Richard Deitsch of The Athletic was the first to report that Sharpe and ESPN are close to reaching a four-year deal. According to Deitsch, the contract has not been signed yet, but it is expected to be completed soon.

The reported four-year contract will see Sharpe continue to make regular appearances on First Take. According to The Athletic, “It could also include some appearances on NFL programming.” It’s not clear what those NFL programming appearances might be. Still, if they’re going to have Sharpe under contract for four years, it seems logical for ESPN to maximize the Pro Football Hall of Famer’s exposure and availability.

Sharpe began his tenure with ESPN last summer, signing on to do First Take every Monday and Tuesday during the NFL season after parting ways with Fox Sports and Skip Bayless. In the wake of Sharpe moving from Fox Sports to ESPN, ratings for Bayless’s Undisputed have floundered while First Take continues to enjoy record-setting viewership.

Following the Super Bowl, Sharpe signed a contract extension with ESPN to continue his run on First Take through the remainder of the NBA season. With the NBA season now nearing a conclusion, Sharpe will finally have a multi-year contract with ESPN.

The reported four-year agreement means Sharpe’s ESPN contract will outlast Smith’s current deal. Smith’s ESPN contract expires in July 2025, and last year, he alluded to envisioning Sharpe as his successor on First Take. But with two highly successful podcasts in Club Shay Shay and Nightcap, it’s hard to imagine the Hall of Famer wanting ESPN to become a full-time job. First Take is a nice side gig, but Sharpe’s massive digital platform allows him to set his sights on something larger than ESPN can offer, just as Smith often touts similar career aspirations.

[The Athletic]