Stephen A. Smith makes insane salary beyond $100 million ESPN deal

If hot takes are gold, it's no surprise that Stephen A. Smith is absolutely swimming in it.

Oct 23, 2024; Inglewood, California, USA; Stephen A. Smith (Stephen Smith) on the ESPN NBA Countdown live set at Intuit Dome. | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

There aren't many sports commentators that make as much money as the athletes they cover but ESPN host Stephen A. Smith is one of them. The man who is as outrageous as he is loud signed a huge new contract with the worldwide leader in sports in March but his $105 million deal isn't all he's cashing in lately.

"The Athletic" reported on Wednesday that Stephen A. Smith (the A. stands for Anthony) is making nearly $40 million per year. His new ESPN contract accounts for $21 million a year but he also has a very lucrative deal with Sirius XM.

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May 1, 2025; Inglewood, California, USA; Stephen A. Smith attends game six of first round for the 2025 NBA Playoffs between the Denver Nuggets and the LA Clippers at Intuit Dome. | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

On top of that, he also banks nearly $7 million a year from his podcast "The Stephen A. Smith Show," which also generates money on Youtube. With SiriusXM signing him to a $36 million, three-year deal, his yearly average is hovering around $40 million.

For comparison, some NBA and NFL stars making similar salaries are Bengals star Ja'Marr Chase ($40 million), Steelers edge rusher T.J. Watt ($41 million) and Memphis Grizzlies point guard Ja Morant ($39.4 million).

RELATED: How much is Stephen A. Smith worth?

Feb 16, 2024; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Team Stephen A coaches Stephen A. Smith and Lil Wayne look on with player AJ McLean (00) in the third quarter against Team Shannon in the All Star Celebrity Game at Lucas Oil Stadium. | Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images

The "First Take" host has worked hard and branded himself as one of the take-iest, at times most hate-able faces in sports media but it's paid off and now he's expanding his reach. He's debuting a new show on Wednesday on SiriusXM. The “Straight Shooter with Stephen A.,” show will focus a bit less on sports and more on politics and culture. He's planning to host a wide-ranging group of guests and discuss topics he's rarely touched on with ESPN.

“I’ve spent my career speaking my mind, asking tough questions, and zeroing in on the issues that matter most,” Smith said in SiriusXM's announcement. “Whether it’s my new sports show on Mad Dog Sports Radio or talking politics on P.O.T.U.S. (channel), I’m here to challenge, entertain, and engage SiriusXM listeners.”

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