Pat McAfee could be in line for one of the biggest paydays in sports media.
ESPN and McAfee’s representatives are discussing a contract extension that could pay him more than $60 million per year, according to The Athletic.
The deal is not yet completed, and the final number could depend on McAfee taking on an even bigger role at the network, including a possible expansion of his NFL coverage.
The two sides are currently discussing a figure between $60 million and $65 million per year, sources briefed on the talks told The Athletic.
McAfee, 39, still has two years remaining on his current ESPN agreement, which approaches $30 million per year when including his daily show, “College GameDay” role and other appearances, according to the report.
His current setup is not structured like a typical on-air talent deal. There is a production contract for “The Pat McAfee Show,” along with a separate talent agreement for his other work.
McAfee hosts his daily three-hour show with his regular crew, with the first two hours airing on ESPN and all three available on YouTube. He is also one of the main personalities on “College GameDay,” alongside Rece Davis, Kirk Herbstreit, Desmond Howard and Nick Saban.
Under his current show deal, McAfee maintains ownership of the program and is responsible for paying contributors and production costs.
A new agreement would mark another major step in McAfee’s rapid rise at ESPN, where he has become one of the network’s defining faces alongside Stephen A. Smith.
Smith signed a five-year, $100 million-plus ESPN deal in early 2025, and also has a separate three-year, $36 million deal with SiriusXM.
McAfee’s camp reportedly opened negotiations by asking ESPN for $100 million per year. He is now represented by TKO/WME’s Ari Emanuel and Mark Shapiro.
ESPN declined to comment to The Athletic. News of McAfee’s potential extension talks was first reported by Front Office Sports.
The talks come after several controversies involving McAfee since he joined ESPN, including Aaron Rodgers making false claims about Jimmy Kimmel being on the Epstein list during an appearance.
McAfee also apologized in July 2025 for amplifying unfounded rumors involving 18-year-old college student Mary Kate Cornett, and has had public spats with ESPN personnel.
Still, ESPN executives believe McAfee connects with younger fans and view him as a key part of the network’s future, according to the report.
The Athletic reported that ESPN’s internal research has McAfee and Smith among the network’s most popular on-air personalities. ESPN also said in May that McAfee’s combined linear and digital viewership was up 25 percent year over year.
Now, ESPN may be preparing to pay McAfee like one of the highest-paid stars in sports media.
[Notigroup Newsroom in collaboration with other media outlets, with information from the following sources]
