Stephen A. Smith’s Yearly $40 Million Earnings Surpass Contracts of NFL Standouts Maxx Crosby, CeeDee Lamb, and Justin Jefferson

The 57-year-old sportscaster from New York, Stephen A. Smith, is foraying into politics as he debuts a new show for SiriusXM.

Stephen A. Smith’s Yearly $40 Million Earnings Surpass Contracts of NFL Standouts Maxx Crosby, CeeDee Lamb, and Justin Jefferson

Stephen A. Smith; Justin Jefferson, Maxx Crosby, CeeDee Lamb (Images via Getty Images/The New Yorker)

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Stephen A. Smith, 57, is one of the most renowned voices in the sports broadcasting industry, offering opinions on the NBA and the NFL. The sportscaster began his career in the print industry, then transitioned to radio and television, where he gained popularity through appearances on SportsCenter, NBA Countdown, The Stephen A. Smith Show, and First Take, among others.

Recently, a report from The Athletic revealed how much the famed sports journalist earns. The New Yorker had previously signed a contract with ESPN worth over $100 million over five years in 2025. Recently, he signed a similar deal with SiriusXM that pays out $36 million for three years. His $33 million annual base salary from his two primary employers, along with earnings from his YouTube channel and podcast, is expected to bring his total yearly income close to $40 million.

The sportscaster’s salary rivals the likes of several top-tier players in the professional football industry. For instance, the Minnesota Vikings WR Justin Jefferson and Dallas Cowboys WR Ceedee Lamb earn $35 million and $34 million, respectively. Even the NBA and the NBA Finals MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, is set to earn around $38 million in the upcoming season.

His net worth is on par with Tom Brady and Peyton Manning. Brady and Manning have transitioned their well-earned and successful football careers into the media industry.

Stephen A. Smith plans to foray into politics

According to the report from The Athletic, Stephen A. Smith is also planning to voice his opinions on politics as much as he does in terms of basketball and gridiron football. He has been involved in politics for some time, sharing his views on his podcast and appearing on Fox News, NewsNation, and other platforms.

Stephen A. Smith
Stephen A. Smith (Image via MARCA)

His latest deal with SiriusXM will see him in a new role as the host of Straight Shooter with Stephen A on their bipartisan POTUS channel. The new show will see Smith engaging in discussions on politics and culture, high-profile guests, live listener calls, and unfiltered commentary.

In a conversation with Jeremy Barr of the Washington Post, Smith expressed his elation in hosting the new show, which is centered on politics. He admitted that it was something he had wanted to do for a long time.

I’m excited about it. It’s something that I want to do and something I’m passionate about doing.

Smith said

The 57-year-old sportscaster also opened up on how he’s approaching the new show. He admitted that while he, like a majority of the American population, isn’t an aficionado, he intends to deduce logic and make sense of the political issues. The new show reportedly will see Smith calling out both sides, the Democrats and the Republicans, for their shortcomings and mistakes at every opportunity he gets.

In his WaPo conversation, Smith also revealed a few of the guests he has invited to be on the show. This included the current president, Donald Trump, and his right-hand man, VP JD Vance. The other people he had reached out to included former president Barack Obama, Marco Rubio, California and Maryland Governors Gavin Newsom and Wes Moore. Moore recently appeared on the Stephen A. Smith show as well.

Although he’s interested in politics, he’s not planning to become a presidential candidate in the 2028 elections. Smith had previously stated that he is “not a politician” and doesn’t consider himself “qualified to be one,” addressing speculation about a potential future run for office, according to Seth Abramovitch of The Hollywood Reporter. He reiterated his statements to Barr, but didn’t necessarily shut the door on the possibility of him pursuing that way.

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