Stephen A. Smith could make $20 million a year on next contract?

Dec 18, 2019; Philadelphia, PA, USA; ESPN analyst Stephen A. Smith broadcasts before a game between the Philadelphia 76ers and the Miami Heat at Wells Fargo Center. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports

Stephen A. Smith is already highly compensated by ESPN, but he could be in line to make a whopping amount on his next contract.

Front Office Sports’ Michael McCarthy published a column on Thursday in which he discussed Smith’s contract status. He says that Smith’s agents are already talking with ESPN about a new contract for the media personality, whose current contract expires in July 2025.

Smith reportedly makes $12 million per year from ESPN as part of a 5-year, $60 million deal he signed in 2019. McCarthy says Smith could make as much as $20 million per year on his next deal.

Part of the reason McCarthy shared that lofty figure is because ESPN hired Troy Aikman to provide analysis on “Monday Night Football” at the price of $18 million per year.

ESPN could try to appeal to Smith by offering him more of an active role covering the NFL; Smith has long been known as having an NBA specialty.

There has been talk in the past that Smith is considering branching out more to politics. The 56-year-old talks politics and other subjects on his podcast, “The Stephen A. Smith Show.”

Despite expressing interest in multiple subjects, Smith has remained attached to his sports roots and focuses on hosting/making appearances on ESPN programs SportsCenter, NBA Countdown and First Take.