Stephen A. Smith reveals why $100m ESPN deal wouldn't have happened without Skip Bayless
By DANIEL MATTHEWS
Published: 12:53 EDT, 11 March 2025 | Updated: 13:39 EDT, 11 March 2025
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It emerged last week that the TV personality - who hosts 'First Take' and works as an NBA analyst, podcaster and talk show guest - has agreed to a five-year contract that will pay him an average of $20million a year.
Smith, who was said to be previously making around $12m annually, has risen to become one of the most prominent sports pundits in America.
Former ESPN and Fox Sports personality Bayless, who spent years on 'First Take', said Smith has the 'greatest gift of gab on television' he has ever seen.
There was a time, however, when the 57-year-old was struggling to make his voice heard.
Smith has now been on 'First Take' for more than a decade and on Monday he revealed it was Bayless who pushed for him to appear, paving the way for their arguments on air between 2012 and 2016.
Stephen A. Smith paid tribute to Skip Bayless after signing his new $100million ESPN deal
They spent years jousting on ESPN's 'First Take' after Bayless pushed for Smith to be on-air
'Very few people on the planet earth know my story better than you,' Smith said during a reunion show with Bayless.
'It began with you. With you and Jamie Horowitz - my former boss over at First Take - pushing for me to be on First Take. Being limited to one appearance a week to start off at.
'Even (then) you had battles just to get me on the air. And then ultimately insisting on having me on five days a week. There's no way on earth that happens without you. Without Jamie Horowitz. So it starts there.
During a long sports media career, Smith has worked in newspapers, radio and television.
'But we all know, to be in the position I am in today, to sign the kind of contract I signed today, it doesn't happen if it were not for First Take and First Take never happens if it was not for Skip Bayless and Jamie Horowitz.
'So I'm forever grateful and forever humbled because there's a lot of luck that comes with something like that. To have people to see your talent, to care and in your case to trust. Because trust is a really, really, really big thing with you,' Smith continued.
'The fact you knew it was going to be somebody that would bring the same energy, fervor but most importantly you knew that they weren't going to try to undermine you while doing so. You always emphasized that to me and I've taken that with me for the rest of my career. So I thank you my brother, I truly do.'
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