Paul Finebaum agrees to multi-year contract extension with ESPN, SEC Network

Paul Finebaum won’t go anywhere anytime soon as he agreed to a multi-year contract extension with ESPN, according to a release.

Finebaum launched The Paul Finebaum Show on ESPN Radio in 2013 and began his simulcast on SEC Network the following year. He’s also a fixture on ESPN’s morning lineup of Get Up, First Take and SportsCenter, talking everything college football, the SEC and more.

Finebaum released a statement following the announcement of his new deal.

“I consider myself incredibly blessed to be a member of this talented team at ESPN and get to do what I do on a daily basis,” Finebaum said. “I’d like to thank everyone at ESPN, as well as our loyal listeners and viewers, for their continued support.”

One of the leading voices in college athletics media, Finebaum is synonymous with ESPN after the last decade.

“Over the years, Paul has demonstrated time and time again that he is one of the leading voices across college football,” Burke Magnus, ESPN President of Content, said. “The connection he has built with his listeners, viewers, fans and the media who cover college sports is unmatched. We look forward to Paul continuing to bring his signature commentary to SEC Network and ESPN programming.”

Prior to ESPN, Finebaum was a mainstay in the SEC, serving as the host of the Paul Finebaum Radio Network from 2001-12. He was also an award winning columnist and investigative reporter for the Birmingham Post-Herald and later the Mobile Press-Register.

Paul Finebaum signs new deal with ESPN

During an appearance on ESPN’s First Take, Finebaum took some time to heap praise on Georgia coach Kirby Smart, and how he’s taking over the mantle of being the unquestioned top dog in the sport, now that Nick Saban has called it a career and joined him in the broadcasting world.

“You think about Kirby smart, he’s a 47 year old Nick Saban, and he is Nick Saban. He is the best coach in college football, and with all due respect to Nick Saban, he was the best coach in college football last year, and the year before,” Finebaum stated. “He has not lost a regular season game since ’20. One play in the SEC Championship Game cost him, very likely, a three-peat, something that hasn’t happened in college football since the 30s. He studied under Saban, he mastered everything that’s part of Saban’s great process, and then, in many ways, he toppled Saban at the end.

“He lost a big game against Nick Saban, don’t misunderstand me, he’s lost to Saban twice in SEC championship games. One, he overcame, in the National Championship Game in ’21, but last year, they couldn’t do it. This year. Kirby Smart would have lost that game and probably still gone on to win the Playoff, because of the 12-team Playoff. But Kirby Smart, really, is at the epicenter of college football right now, and I don’t think there’s anybody on his level.”

Like those takes and debates? Finebaum will continue them for years across the ESPN family of networks.