It was once axiomatic that nobody is bigger than the four letters at ESPN. But there are three letters that may put that platitude to rest: SAS.

Stephen A. Smith is making progress on a contract extension that could make him ESPN’s first-ever $100 million talent, sources tell Front Office Sports. But another source warned a long-term contract extension is not done—and there are “still issues to be resolved.” Either way, negotiations are expected to wrap up before Smith’s current deal expires next July.

As FOS previously reported, Smith has been negotiating a blockbuster deal expected to pay him at least $20 million a year for five years. His current annual compensation is $12 million. 

The Athletic’s Andrew Marchand reported Smith could add another year at $20 million per that would push his total compensation to $120 million over six years. Brian Steinberg of Variety reported Smith is close to a new agreement that would “involve creating a sort of ‘first-look’ agreement for Smith-backed concepts across Disney’s general-entertainment properties.” In June, John Ourand of Puck News reported Smith turned down ESPN’s initial offer of $18 million a year.

A $100 million–plus contract would set a new benchmark for ESPN talent. The Monday Night Football announcing duo of Troy Aikman and Joe Buck currently boast five-year deals worth $90 million ($18 million annually) and $75 million ($15 million), respectively. Meanwhile, Pat McAfee is collecting $85 million over five years ($17 million annually) to license his eponymous weekday show to ESPN. (He receives another cut via a separate talent-only contract with College GameDay.)

Tom Brady’s 10-year, $375 million deal ($37.5 million annually) with Fox Sports; Charles Barkley’s 10-year, $210 million deal with Warner Bros. Discovery; and Tony Romo’s 10-year, $180 million contract ($18 million) with CBS Sports are the three richest pacts in sportscasting.

There was speculation the move of Barkley’s Inside the NBA to ESPN might undercut Smith’s negotiating position. But both ESPN and Disney’s executives love the First Take’s star willingness to pitch in anytime, anywhere, from NBA Countdown to Monday Night Countdown—as well as his outsized consumer appeal at a time when consumers are cutting the cord with cable networks. 

Don’t forget Smith also wants to follow in the footsteps of his childhood idol Howard Cosell by becoming more involved in ESPN’s NFL coverage. Even with Sir Charles in the mix (albeit as a TNT employee), Smith remains ESPN’s biggest star. My sources believe a contract extension is a matter of when, not if.

As ESPN chairman Jimmy Pitaro told me during the network’s media day in Bristol, Conn., this fall: “Stephen’s very important to us. We have plenty of time here, so there’s no urgency. But my strong desire is to get a deal done with him.”

But Smith has become a very savvy businessman since ESPN dropped him in 2009. He has options. And timing is everything. NBC Sports and Amazon Prime Video are both hiring for their coverage of the NBA starting with the 2025–2026 season. As another source told me, both would “back up the Brink’s truck” to make Smith the face and voice of their hoops coverage. Smith’s owned and operated YouTube show is nearing one million subscribers. Throw in his other opportunities in late-night TV as well as mainstream news and acting, and Smith has leverage. 

As Smith told me at our live “Tuned In” event in September: “They have their vision—and I have mine. If it’s aligned, we’ll work it out. If it’s not, then decisions have to be made. I’m a big boy and I accept the fact that sometimes you don’t get what you want.”

ESPN and Smith’s representatives declined to comment.

The NFL is a TV monolith, with games accounting for 47 of the most-watched TV shows since the start of the 2024 regular season. But as usual, viewers must wade through a stream of football clichés from analysts and announcers during game telecasts and studio shows. After a while, these trusty platitudes grate on viewers.

You know the vernacular I have in mind.

This team needs to establish the run. 

It’s up to the O-line and the D-line to win the battle in the trenches. 

They can do it—but only if they run north-south instead of east-west. 

Because they can’t afford to get behind the sticks. Or lose the turnover battle. Otherwise, the defense will just pin their ears back. In the end, it all comes down to execution. Because you can’t win the game here, but you just might lose it.

There, we just jammed in nine of them.

Phil Simms keeps a list of TV pet peeves on his desk at home in New Jersey. “The one I love is ‘spatial awareness.’ What the hell does that mean?” Simms told me this year. “Or how about, ‘The quarterback did a great job keeping his head up and looking downfield while he was rolling out.’ Well, where the hell was he going to look?” Some of Simms’s other groaners include “downhill runner,” “high-pointing the ball,” and QBs “climbing the pocket.” As Simms joked, “You mean he moved up?”

The list is always changing as some are embraced and others fade. Here are my top 10 most annoying football clichés in use this season:  

1) Arm talent: Remember the good old days when a quarterback had a strong and or accurate arm? Not anymore. The new catchphrase is “arm talent.” It’s become ubiquitous on shoulder programming and game telecasts. My favorite offshoot may have come from Tedy Bruschi of ESPN. The former Patriot said QB Jordan Love of the Packers has an “arrogant” arm. 

2) Shank: This one drives me crazy. “Shanking” is a golf term for hitting the ball off the club at virtually a 90-degree angle. So if a right-footed kicker misses a field goal, or extra point, to the left, that’s not a “shank.” It’s a “hook” or a “pull.” ESPN’s Joe Buck got it exactly right on Monday Night Football during Browns-Broncos. But not every announcer does. Golf lesson over.

3) Out in space: This phrase usually refers to getting a skill player in the open field with no tacklers nearby. In other words, X player is really effective when there’s nobody around to tackle him. Really? Who knew?

4) Get in his grill: Getting in somebody’s face is so ’90s. Now, when one player confronts another face-to-face, they “get in his grill.” This phrase started on ESPN, then spread like wildfire.

5) The room: Thanks to Paul Pabst of The Dan Patrick Show for this beauty. As in, this new player really adds to the “Colts wide receiver room.” As Pabst tweeted: “Started gaining traction in 2023…now, it’s ‘The Room’…use it…know it…live it.”

6) Dial up the blitz: No, the coach isn’t on his phone to order a pizza. But hey, it sounds cool. Or they wouldn’t be using it so often.

7) The … National … Football … League: For some reason, NFL analysts have an aversion to saying “NFL.” Instead, they slowly and portentously pronounce the … name … of … the … league. Like it’s a religious incantation. Amen.

8) Game manager: Ah, yes; the ultimate damning with faint praise description of a QB playing as much to avoid losing the game as to win it. Warning: Come contract negotiation time, you don’t want to be known as a “game manager.”

9) Dawg: The Pat McAfee–ization of sports is complete. We’ve gone from Lawrence Taylor’s “crazed dogs” to McAfee’s all-purpose tribute of “Dawg.”

10) Alligator arms: I have to admit I love this description of receivers reluctant to extend for a pass in fear of getting hit. This applies equally well to your buddy who never picks up the check after a game is over.