Pat McAfee Celebrated Nine-Figure Contract by Giving His Team $250K Backpacks

Pat McAfee is in the process of signing a $60 million/year contract extension with ESPN.

Pat McAfee Celebrated Nine-Figure Contract by Giving His Team $250K Backpacks

Pat McAfee (Image via IMAGO/x)

Pat McAfee’s colleagues are reaping the benefits of his shrewd negotiation skills. After signing a nine-figure contract with ESPN, McAfee generously bought gifts for his crew.

Speaking on the All the Smoke pod, McAfee disclosed negotiating a “hundred-and-some-million-dollar contract.” After closing the deal, the former professional punter gave expensive bags to his boys of the Pat McAfee Show.

I gave them backpacks with $250,000 in it. That’s a cool thing that I could have never guessed.

McAfee revealed

McAfee’s generosity is grounded in reality. A career in media is very uncertain. It’s difficult to predict how the industry will look within the next few years. McAfee’s love for the American sports scene drew him to become an athlete and later a host/presenter. At the end of the day, people are trying to make a living from what they love the most.

Everybody talks about being a chess player. I’m checkers, man. I’m just trying to get over you, get to the next one, and then king me [expletive].

McAfee said

McAfee earns $30 million/per year from his deal with ESPN. The 39-year-old reportedly gets $17 million for his weekday show. Which means he gets another $13 million for College GameDay and other ESPN work (covering college football).

McAfee pays his crew from his salary and churns out relevant news stories every week. His show is among the most viewed on the network. So, keeping that in mind, ESPN is looking to keep him for the long term.

His current contract expires in 2028. But in June, Andrew Marchand of The Athletic reported that McAfee could earn up to $60 million/year on his new contract. They are still in the negotiation phase.

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Stephen A. Smith reacted to Pat McAfee potentially signing a $60 million/year extension

Seven-time Super Bowl winner Tom Brady’s 10-year, $375 million contract, or $37.5 million/year, is the biggest sports broadcasting deal signed by any player. However, the honor of earning the most money without playing any professional sport belongs to Stephen A. Smith.

Pat McAfee Celebrated Nine-Figure Contract by Giving His Team $250K Backpacks
Pat McAfee (Image via IMAGO)

Last year, Smith signed a $40 million/year extension with ESPN. If McAfee signs his new deal with the network, he will surpass the veteran analyst as the highest-paid sports broadcaster in the game.

Is Smith bitter about this development? The answer is no. In fact, Smith believes McAfee deserves the spotlight.

I’m happy for [Pat]. He’s earned it, and I truly mean that.

Smith said via the Barrett Media Audio Summit

However, Smith also questioned whether a “Black guy” will receive the same treatment as McAfee.

I do believe, even though it makes people uncomfortable, as a Black man, that I don’t believe that’s an opportunity that would ever come to us first. In our society, we can say that’s fortunate or unfortunate. But the reality is that there usually has to be a precedent set before somebody is in a position to capitalize off of that.

Smith said

Pat McAfee reacted to Folarin Balogun receiving a red card

On Tuesday, Twitter erupted after officials showed USMNT striker Folarin Balogun a red card for tackling a Bosnia and Herzegovina defender. VAR upheld the ruling.

McAfee quickly called out the referee with a fiery post.

Can’t get a red card for that. Can’t get a red card for that… Come the [expletive] on, man. He’s our goal scorer. Harry Kane got tackled earlier today. We got tripped in the box. Balogun gets a red card for that? Oh no. Oh, don’t make me hate soccer. I was falling back in love.

McAfee said

USA going down to ten men didn’t help the Bosnians. They conceded a goal late in the game. It finished 2-0 for the Stars and Stripes (Balogun scored in the first half). McAfee sent another message after the win.

Uhh, yeah, we’re going to win the World Cup. 10 of our guys beat 11 Bosnians today. … 11 of our guys, beat 11 Bosnians. Next, Belgium. No problem. Then it’s on, with Spain, Argentina and France potentially. The boys are ready. The boys are buzzing. And we’re going to win the (expletive) World Cup. This is so awesome. I’m so happy for us.

McAfee said

USA are through to the round of 16. They will face off against Belgium.

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