ESPN offers Stephen A Smith whopping $90M deal over 5 years to remain with network: report

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ESPN is trying hard not to let Stephen A. Smith leave the network. 

The "Worldwide Leader in Sports" has reportedly offered a whopping $90 million over five years to keep Smith, a veteran on the hit morning show "First Take," to stay on board, per Puck News. 

Smith’s contract with ESPN is set to expire in 2025. 

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Stephen A. Smith at the Disney 2024 upfront presentation held at North Javits Center on May 14, 2024 in New York City. (Kristina Bumphrey/Variety via Getty Images)

ESPN also reportedly pitched to Smith’s agency, WME, that he could become the highest-paid talent on their team. 

The deal that ESPN reportedly offered Smith would work out to $18 million per year, but Puck News is saying that Smith is looking for $7 million more than that for his next deal. 

Journalist James Andrew Miller made an appearance recently on the "SI Media with Jimmy Traina" podcast, where he noted Smith wanting a "big, big number" when it was time to put ink on a new deal.

"I think there have been preliminary talks already that have started," Miller said of Smith and ESPN. "He’s looking for a big, big number. And I also feel, given the content world, he doesn’t even have to have another offer from one entity for that big number.

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"I think what ESPN is up against is the possibility that WME could go out and create an architecture where Stephen A. has a podcast, a this, a deal with this, a deal with that, whatever, and at the end of the day, it’s $20