ESPN and Pat McAfee are in advanced discussions on a contract extension that could pay the broadcaster between $60 million and $65 million annually, The Athletic reported, citing sources familiar with the talks.
If the agreement is reached, the figure would eclipse any previous salary reported for a U.S. sports media personality, positioning the former NFL punter at the top of the industry’s pay scale.
McAfee, 37, still has two years remaining on his current ESPN deal, which is believed to average about $30 million per year when combining licensing fees for “The Pat McAfee Show” with his work on “College GameDay” and other network appearances.
As with the existing arrangement, any new pact would be structured as a production agreement rather than a traditional talent contract, allowing McAfee to retain ownership of his show, employ his own staff and cover production expenses independently. Headline numbers therefore do not represent his personal take-home income.
The Athletic noted that McAfee’s representatives—TKO executives Ari Emanuel and Mark Shapiro—opened negotiations seeking roughly $100 million per year. ESPN has continued talking despite the ambitious opening bid, signaling the network’s commitment to keeping one of its most visible on-air voices.
McAfee joined ESPN in 2023, bringing a sizable audience and a conversational style that routinely drives ratings and occasional controversy. “The Pat McAfee Show” airs weekdays on ESPN from noon to 2 p.m. ET, with a third hour streamed live on YouTube. Under a new deal, the network could expand his duties, potentially increasing his presence on NFL programming, according to the report.
The host’s per-year earnings under the proposed extension would surpass salaries for many head coaches, general managers and a significant portion of NBA players. The potential long-term commitment would also mark a departure from McAfee’s post-NFL career, which has included stints with Barstool Sports, WWE, DAZN, SiriusXM, Westwood One and FanDuel before landing at ESPN.
Source: Hoops Wire
