Kirk Herbstreit vs. Pat McAfee: Who Makes More Money at ESPN?

College GameDay’s two biggest personalities and most recognizable faces sit at the center of ESPN’s college football coverage, but their paychecks tell very different stories.

Recent media reporting reveals a clear gap between Kirk Herbstreit’s traditional analyst deals and Pat McAfee’s unique production-and-talent arrangement with the worldwide leader in sports.

Pat McAfee’s Current ESPN Package

Kirk Herbstreit vs. Pat McAfee: Who Makes More Money at ESPN? — USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

McAfee’s arrangement with ESPN is valued at approximately $30 million per year, according to recent reporting from The Athletic.

That figure combines a licensing deal for The Pat McAfee Show — reportedly more than $17 million annually — with additional compensation for his role on College GameDay and other network appearances.

Importantly, McAfee retains ownership of his show and covers production costs and staff salaries from that total, so the number does not represent pure take-home pay. He has two years remaining on the current contract.

Kirk Herbstreit’s Earnings

Herbstreit’s compensation is more conventional. Reports place his combined annual income from ESPN/ABC college football work and Amazon’s Thursday Night Football broadcasts in the $16–18 million range.

Roughly $4–6 million of that is attributed to his ESPN roles, including College GameDay and top game analysis, with the larger share coming from his Amazon contract. His current ESPN deal is in its final year.

The Potential Gap Ahead

Talks between McAfee and ESPN have centered on a possible extension in the $60–65 million per year range, according to reports.

No agreement has been finalized, but if completed, it would significantly widen the financial distance between the two. Herbstreit, meanwhile, is expected to negotiate a new ESPN contract after the 2026 season while continuing his Amazon work.

ESPN’s Highest Paid Personalities in 2026

Stephen A. Smith remains the bellwether at the worldwide leader, still the highest paid individual personality at an estimated $40 million per year, including his other ventures like SiriusXM and podcasts, with reports around $20 million directly from ESPN.

After that, the two faces of Monday Night Football are right behind.

Play-by-play announcer Joe Buck is receiving an estimated $18 million per year with the network as part of a six year, $108 million pact with the network.

Right next to him, color analyst and Hall of Famer Troy Aikman is also netting a reported $18 million per year in a five year, $90 million agreement.

The Bottom Line

Under their current deals, Pat McAfee’s overall ESPN related package is substantially larger than Kirk Herbstreit’s ESPN earnings and even exceeds Herbstreit’s combined ESPN Amazon total in most estimates.

The structural difference — McAfee’s ownership of his daily show versus Herbstreit’s traditional talent contracts — explains much of the disparity. Both remain among the highest-paid voices in sports media, but the numbers currently favor McAfee.

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