The Big Lead

Who are the highest-paid broadcasters in sports? Shaquille O'Neal joins exclusive list

By J.P. Hoornstra

Feb 9, 2025; New Orleans, LA, USA; Tom Brady on the field before Super Bowl LIX between the Philadelphia Eagles and the Kansas City Chiefs at Ceasars Superdome.
Feb 9, 2025; New Orleans, LA, USA; Tom Brady on the field before Super Bowl LIX between the Philadelphia Eagles and the Kansas City Chiefs at Ceasars Superdome. / Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images
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Shaquille O'Neal joined a prestigious list when he agreed to a new contract with Turner Sports that pays more than $15 million a season.

The basketball great vaulted up a list of the most highly compensated sportscasters, a list that includes a couple folks who never excelled as athletes, and several who did.

According to Spotrac, the top annual broadcasters' salaries belong to:

Tom Brady, $37.5M
Charles Barkley, $21M
Stephen A. Smith, $20M
Troy Aikman, $18M
Tony Romo, $18M
Pat McAfee, $17M
Shaquille O'Neal, $15M+
Joe Buck, $15M

Brady, who just finished the first year of a 10-year contract as the lead NFL analyst for Fox Sports, is also a part-owner of the Las Vegas Raiders.

O'Neal likewise has a diversified business portfolio that includes everything from fast-food franchises, nutritional supplements, and consumer products from car insurance to commercial cruises.

He, Charles Barkley ($21 million, second), Stephen A. Smith ($20 million, third), and Troy Aikman ($18 million, tied for fourth) will all be on ESPN next season as part of a licensing agreement between Warner Bros. Discovery and Disney that allows ESPN to air "Inside the NBA."

Aikman is tied with Tony Romo, CBS' lead NFL analyst. Next on the list is Pat McAfee ($17 million). The retired NFL punter hosts a popular YouTube show that appears on ESPN, and has become a fixture on its Saturday "College GameDay" panel as well.

Just behind O'Neal is Joe Buck, ESPN's lead NFL play-by-play commentator, at $15 million a year.

Although cutbacks to the cable industry's subscriber base have forced media giants to trim expenses, a star broadcaster is still a prized — and well-compensated — asset in 2025.

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