Pat McAfee is reportedly negotiating a $60 million deal to stay with ESPN.
According to The Athletic, Pat McAfee is negotiating a new contract extension with ESPN. If finalized, he could be on air even more and earn between $60 million and $65 million per year. The 39-year-old has two years left on his current contract, which pays him close to $30 million annually.
It is divided between a licensing deal for The Pat McAfee Show and what ESPN pays him for his College GameDay panelist role and other various appearances. McAfee earns $17 million for his daily show and is responsible for paying the show’s contributors and for the sets. The new deal will have the same structure, and the network reportedly views it as a production contract and a separate “talent” agreement, which distinguishes it from most of its on-air personalities’ contracts.
While he negotiated his current deal himself three years ago, Pat McAfee now has TKO/WME executives Ari Emanuel and Mark Shapiro representing him. Sources noted that they began their proposal with a starting request of $100 million per year to gain leverage.
If they finalize the deal, it could see Pat McAfee appearing on ESPN more than he currently does, including a bigger role in NFL coverage. It would also make him the highest-paid employee at the network, surpassing Stephen A. Smith, who earns in the mid-$30 million range and can exceed $40 million per year if he meets all his incentives.
Pat McAfee also made TIME’s The 100 Most Influential People in Sports 2026
TIME officially revealed its inaugural TIME100 Sports list, recognizing the 100 most influential figures reshaping sports. Pat McAfee was among the names listed under “Innovators,” while UFC President Dana White was listed under “Leaders.”
“Pat McAfee, the former Indianapolis Colts punter fond of wearing tank tops on camera, has built an impressive media presence. In 2023, McAfee signed a five-year, $85 million deal with ESPN for the network to license his daily YouTube show. Its unfiltered style—and newsmaking discussions with controversial vaccine-skeptic Aaron Rodgers—gained traction among sports fans. McAfee has earned a seat at the College GameDay table: His kicking contests on the beloved ESPN football pregame program, in which students try to convert a 33-yard field goal on campus for cash prizes, regularly go viral; McAfee has awarded more than $5 million in cash and charitable contributions over the past two seasons.
“His heel character has also made regular WWE appearances in recent years, exposing his brand to an ever-wider audience, though in April he said he’s stepping away from wrestling. McAfee’s access to sports and entertainment figures should give him a prominent voice for years to come,” Pat McAfee’s entry read.
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