Shannon Sharpe’s $100M Rumored Podcast Deal Not as Sweet as It Looks— There’s a $150M Reason Why

Shannon Sharpe may be making serious moves in the podcasting game, but he’s still chasing Joe Rogan, who still reigns supreme with a jaw-dropping $250 million Spotify deal signed in 2024 — averaging $83 million a year. Sharpe is reportedly negotiating his own blockbuster contract, expected to top $100 million, Front Office Sports reported last week, citing unnamed insiders. It would be a major leap in salary from his NFL days, where he earned just over $22 million across 15 seasons. Still, such a new contract would leave Sharpe nearly $150 million shy of Rogan’s deal.

Just as the news of his possible new contract hit, so did a new lawsuit–a $50 million sexual assault lawsuit was filed in Nevada state court by by a woman under the pseudonym “Jane Doe” who accuses the former NFL star of rape.

Sharpe’s rise in the podcast space has been fast. His hit podcast “Club Shay Shay” exploded in popularity, especially after the viral Katt Williams interview that has racked up nearly 90 million views on YouTube. With “Club Shay Shay” amassing almost 4 million YouTube subscribers and a growing media empire under the Shay Shay Media banner—including “Nightcap” with former NFL All-Pro Chad “Ochocinco” Johnson and “Club 520” with former NBA player “Jeff Teague” — Sharpe is making the most of his new platform.

As his contract with Colin Cowherd’s sports media company The Volume, which produces Sharpe’s podcasts, reportedly is at an end, Sharpe is entertaining offers from multiple platforms. According to Front Office Sports, the new deal woukd encompass all Shay Shay Media content.

Even with his projected $100M deal, Sharpe has stiff competition among podcasting’s top earners. According to Quartz, the list includes: Joe Rogan, who earns $83 million a year from a $250 million contract; Karen Kilgariff and Georgia Hardstark (My Favorite Murder) – $100 million; Dax Shepard (Armchair Expert) – $80 million; Bill Simmons – $50 million a year; Alex Cooper (Call Her Daddy) – $41 million annually; and Jason Bateman, Sean Hayes, and Will Arnett (SmartLess) – $33 million a year.

While terms of his current contract have not been made public, Sharpe is estimated to have made millions from “Club Shay Shay.”

Sharpe’s net worth is estimated to be around $14 million as of 2025.