“I Don’t Give a Damn”: Stephen A. Smith Finally Makes His Stance Clear on $85,000,000 Pat McAfee-ESPN Deal

Former Indianapolis Colts punter and WWE personality Pat McAfee, recently signed a mammoth deal with ESPN. After ending his partnership with FanDuel, his famous podcast and YouTube show, ‘The Pat McAfee Show,’ will be shifted to ESPN in the fall. Reportedly, he signed a contract that will pay him around $85 Million in total. As it turns out, many fans wanted the face of ESPN, Mr. Stephen A. Smith to express his feelings about being underpaid as he is making way less than what McAfee is set to make. Hence, Stephen eventually came forward to discuss the popular matter.

While McAfee received an enormous contract with ESPN, Smith reportedly has a $12 million per year deal ($8 million in regular salary and $4 million in a production contract)with the media giant. However, even though Stephen’s contract is worth less than McAfee’s, he is apparently not bitter about it.

Smith finally reveals his true feelings about Pat McAfee and his blockbuster ESPN deal

During the most recent installment of ‘The Stephen A. Smith Show‘ on the Audacy/Cadence13 podcast, the prominent ESPN personality did not criticize McAfee for maximizing his opportunities with the network.

“You have so many people that are looking at what he’s getting paid, it’s no secret that even though you don’t know the numbers I make…it’s clearly more than I’m making. ‘Stephen A, what do you have to say about that?’ Two things. Number one, I don’t give a damn,” Smith bluntly stated. “He negotiated his deal a few weeks ago, I negotiated my deal a few years ago…the situation is not the same.”

You’re dead wrong if you think I’m mad about @PatMcAfeeShow getting paid pic.twitter.com/Xgq4tybKfX

— Stephen A Smith (@stephenasmith) June 5, 2023

Pat has been incredibly successful in gaining recognition after ending his NFL days due to the popularity of his podcast. Smith tried to emulate the same energy when he launched ‘Know Mercy’ last September, which was later renamed ‘The Stephen A. Smith Show.’

Not only was Smith content and unfazed by McAfee’s contract, but he was surprised that the WWE wrestler was facing criticism from fans and analysts alike. He explained that ESPN is trying to carry out a business that will make money. Additionally, he noted that McAfee’s lucrative contract can give him the opportunity to raise the ceiling on his own future negotiations.

McAfee was stunned upon receiving heavy backlash for his ESPN deal

As mentioned previously by Smith, McAfee had been receiving criticism and backlash, not because of his deal but because he gave the rights to his content to ESPN. Upon noticing the negative reactions regarding his deal on social media, McAfee stated:

“It has been tough out there. I don’t think I expected that. That was a miscalculation… I think the reason I didn’t expect it is because it didn’t even cross my mind… I feel like our people are the ones that were most mad. It’s like, ‘Hey, we have a good history, do we not?‘”

The internet is AWESOME 😂😂#PMSLive pic.twitter.com/sxt9AdVRc5

— Pat McAfee (@PatMcAfeeShow) May 18, 2023

McAfee then added that “some of the things that are being said are very, very, very rude.” Even though fans are scared that a big corporation like ESPN may ask McAfee’s show to be watered down, he assured his admirers that they have full creative control of the program.

It will be interesting see how things turn out for McAfee in the time to come.