The new contract making Stephen A Smith the highest-paid talent at ESPN and solidifying him as the face of the network is finally done, meaning Smith could finally address his future on Friday morning on First Take.
Fresh off completing a five-year extension worth upwards of $100 million that will see Smith remain the host of ESPN’s signature daytime show and likely expand into NFL coverage, the 57-year-old offered his appreciation to executives at ESPN and Disney while giving his thoughts on his future.
“I’ve got a lot things that I want to achieve, a lot of things that I want to accomplish in my life that extend beyond this show and beyond the world of sports,” Smith said. “But it all starts here.”
Stephen A. Smith addresses his new $100 million contract at ESPN.
“I’ve got a lot things that I want to achieve, a lot of things that I want to accomplish in my life that extend beyond this show and beyond the world of sports. But it all starts here.”
Smith adds: “It took too… pic.twitter.com/Gau4Y428eG
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) March 7, 2025
As negotiations rolled on from last summer through to this week, Smith became even more of a fixture in the talk show circuit and as a political commentator. Initial rumors indicated Smith’s podcast could be part of the deal, that he could enter a production deal with ABC, or that he would chase a full-time spot on Monday Night Countdown. Instead, the new contract seems to have Smith working less at ESPN and Disney while expanding his sphere of influence into new spaces.
Nevertheless, Smith projected love for ESPN, the network that has employed him (in two separate stints) for more than 20 years.
“I’m always happy to be a part of the worldwide leader, I’m always proud to be associated with this network,” Smith said. “And I’m happy that I’m going to be here for a lengthy period of time, for years to come.”
Smith is expected to keep building The Stephen A. Smith Show, an independent digital media venture in partnership with iHeartMedia and has teased a run for president in 2028. With the lucrative new contract in place, Smith can finally look to the future.
Said Smith:
“I’m happy it’s over, it took too damn long.”
