Let this be a lesson to anybody currently in journalism school.

If you work hard enough, and deliver enough hot takes, you can one day become the highest paid ESPN personality. That’s the deal for Stephen A Smith, who is reportedly getting a new contract worth a ton of money, according the New York Post’s Andrew Marchand:

Stephen A. Smith’s new five-year contract will make him ESPN’s highest-paid sportscaster with an annual salary that will approach $8 million per year, according to sources.

This will move Smith past Mike Greenberg’s $6.5 million, which was ESPN’s previous known highest salary. Greenberg is the host of “Get Up!”

I’m surprised that Greenberg makes that much money, but I guess it makes sense since he anchors the big morning show up there in New York.

I’ve been on record saying that Stephen A Smith is a national treasure, and while he does, of course, just say some shit for the sake of saying shit, you won’t find a harder worker out there. He’s all over the place, doing First Take, traveling for NBA games, plus some boxing and radio and whatnot.

Anyway, Marchand says Smith will be giving up that national radio show, but will continue to do First Take, SportsCenter, and work the network’s basketball coverage.