As Stephen A. Smith Expresses Willingness To Run For President, I Can’t Stop Thinking About That Pricey Extension He Recently Signed With ESPN

Stephen A. Smith is best known for delivering brutally honest takes on sports-related subjects. The last few months, however, have seen the media personality hounded with inquiries regarding whether he’d ever run for President of the United States. Smith previously shot down the notion of a presidential run, yet an update from the pundit would suggest that he’s now open to the possibility of throwing his hat in the ring. With that, what comes to mind for me is the massive contract extension ESPN just handed him.

What Exactly Did Stephen A. Smith Say About Running For President?

Just recently, the 57-year-old sports journalist appeared at the NAB Show in Las Vegas, during which he was asked about potentially running to become POTUS. At the time, he said he had “no desire” to do it, given that “life’s been good.” Stephen A. also explained that he wouldn’t fit the mold, as he’s not a guy who can dish out favors or go on the offensive when needed. Yet, when Smith took to X to share Barrett Media’s write-up on his comments, he signaled that he’d changed his tune:

Stephen A. Smith’s “sick of this mess” comment seems to refer to disillusionment with the current political climate. Of course, he didn’t go into specifics on that front. This is definitely an interesting turn of events, especially considering that he previously said, “I ain't trying to run for office or anything like that.” However, at the same time, he also mused that “if American people want to sit up there” and call for him to run, he wasn’t going to be “mad” about it. However, I do wonder how ESPN would feel, given the deal that was just struck.

How Much Is Stephen A. Smith’s New Deal With ESPN Worth?

Without a doubt, the longtime First Take co-host is one of the most recognizable stars at Disney’s sports-centric network. So I wasn’t too surprised when the company re-upped his contract. However, I was even surprised a few weeks ago when I learned that he inked a five-year deal worth more than $100 million. The broadcaster previously told Front Office Sports that the cash was agreed upon last fall. Of course, that’s a lot of cheddar, and it makes me wonder if the star would actually cut out of that deal to enter politics.

His supposed political aspirations aside, Stephen A. Smith has indeed been moving into new territory, professionally, as of late. Smith’s been covering political news and also providing commentary on societal situations that extend beyond the sports world. He’s also been weighing on more pop culture-related topics by way of his self-titled show, of which episodes are dropped on social media. Thus far, Smith has discussed Taylor Swift and even shared his favorite starter Pokémon.

Stephen A. Smith may be branching out, but sports-related ventures still seem to be his bread and butter. So I’d be surprised if he ever actually traded ESPN for a career in politics, especially given the money he’s being paid. Plus, soon, Smith may soon work with Charles Barkley as a result of the Inside the NBA licensing deal that’s been struck. And I’d say that any debate between them would be just as, if not more, intense than any political debate.