Stephen A. Smith is sticking to ESPN and has earned a large payday on Boot.
Smith and the network have agreed to a new five-year, $100 million contract to keep him on fold. The athletic was reported Thursday afternoon.
Getting new deals between Smith and ESPN has been a long process.
Over the summer, Pack News reported that the sports giant offered Smith a five-year, $90 million contract, and in December Smith was on the brink of a new contract worth $120 million over six years.
At that point, Smith retorted that anything had been done.
“This is my quote,” I was born at night, not at night. We will not talk about contract negotiations. I don't have it. Smith told Athletic after saying that the deal was “false” in the coming years.
According to an Athletic report on Thursday, Smith will focus most of his efforts as the director of conversation for his spot on “First Take.”
However, Smith could potentially step back from other ESPN duties like those appearing in network NBA programming.
Smith was not shy about talking about politics on his podcast of the same name, despite speculating that he could run as a Democratic presidential candidate.
A McLaughlin & Associates poll in January showed that Smith had 2% of respondents.
He was asked by Jimmy Fallon on Wednesday's “The Tonight Show” about his recent headlines from the hills, which made him wonder if he could run as the next CEO of the US.
“I didn't ask for this. I don't want to do this. I happen to have a very, very good life. It's a very good job. Smith said. “I'm saying, wait a minute, I don't want to do this. But the fact that they're talking about me like this means I have to say I approve this message.”
Formerly a print journalist, Smith has been a mainstay of ESPN in various roles since 2003, and his panelist work in “First Take” was his most notable location.
