The NFL offseason storylines continue to stir, this time involving former player-turned-media personality Pat McAfee and ESPN. The former Indianapolis Colts punter had a successful playing career; however, his subsequent media career has seen him skyrocket to unimaginable heights.
Pat McAfee’s New Media Deal Raises a Lot of Eyebrows
“The Pat McAfee Show” is one of the most iconic sports shows in America, and that’s reflected in the media deals McAfee is involved in.
The NFL world went wild when news broke that the sports personality is in the midst of negotiating a new media deal with ESPN, which will pay him an annual salary of $60 million.
“ESPN and representatives for Pat McAfee are discussing an extension to his contract that would pay him more than $60 million per year, sources briefed on the talks told The Athletic,” wrote Andrew Marchand, the senior Sports Media Columnist for The Athletic.
Prominent figures in the football community weighed in on the enormous deal, and many were surprised by it:
Does that say $60 million per year!?! https://t.co/5KOjo0lvdD
— Kevin Gray Jr. (@KevinGraySports) June 9, 2026
“I’m admittedly not as high on McAfee as others, but do understand why people enjoy him,” Chat Sports’ Harrison Graham posted. “That being said, $60 million per year is absurd.”
“My goodness,” Washington correspondent Corey Walker wrote. “That’s more than what the actual players are making.”
The highest-paid player in the NFL, Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott, is making $60 million per year. So if the $60 million mark holds up in McAfee’s negotiations with ESPN, his salary, as a former punter, would be on par with the top-paid player in the league.
Interestingly, it would also put him only $4 million behind NFL commissioner Roger Goodell, who reportedly makes around $64 million per year.
Stephen A. might cuss out Trump on First Take after hearing this 😂😂 https://t.co/DCyKUyGZ6v
— Randall Barnes (@AuthorRandallB) June 9, 2026
“Yet they are laying off employees,” journalist Omar Kelly questioned. “Love McAfee, though. He’s a game changer.”
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“I don’t know what he generates for revenue for ESPN on a yearly basis, but regardless, $60M a year seems a bit excessive,” Big Ten information and news posted. “It’s the ESPN Rev vs Ex books that have to deal with that, not me.”
Extremely talented people are being laid off left and right in the sports world while someone is gonna make $60 million a year
Idk man https://t.co/pwOTyv4Jwp
— Eli Berkovits (@BookOfEli_NFL) June 9, 2026
A $60 million salary would suggest that McAfee is a bigger entertainment draw than superstar quarterbacks like Josh Allen, Joe Burrow, Lamar Jackson, and Patrick Mahomes. Detroit Lions wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown and Houston Texans wideout Nico Collins’ combined salaries hardly match what McAfee stands to make.
“The Pat McAfee Show” premiered in September 2019 and has experienced unprecedented growth among sports fans.
McAfee’s authentic energy and unfiltered takes on stories across the American sports landscape largely fueled his rise in the media industry, and now he’s set to capitalize on that with a massive new deal.
