Aaron Rodgers Is Worth Millions A Year To Pat McAfee

Pat McAfee is the highest-paid daily host at ESPN, at $17 million a year. He deserves to be. We previously reported that, unlike most hosts, McAfee makes his company money.

McAfee is a success. And an assist from Aaron Rodgers contributed to the degree of success he has experienced.

Four seasons ago, Rodgers started to appear weekly on the Pat McAfee Show. Though the show was already a budding YouTube sensation, “Aaron Rodgers Tuesdays” elevated the program to mainstream heights.

"Aaron Rodgers Tuesdays” are responsible for some of the most cited segments in sports media --- from Rodgers' commentary on the vaccine, to will he or won't he retire, to disclosing details about his darkness retreat, to revealing his intentions to play for the New York Jets.

And much, much more. #MrPfizer.

In terms of "relevancy," Rodgers' segments with McAfee are second to none -- counting only sports media, of course.

For that, McAfee pays Rodgers seven figures per year. Pat confirmed the details on his show Thursday, following a report from the New York Post:

“My company went from a valuation of to a company valued over $500,000,000 in just a few years,” McAfee said. “

Everybody who helped us get to this point has reaped the benefits of it, that’s how business is supposed to work."

“I know there’s an old viewpoint that Billion Dollar corporations have tried to make a standard that players and coaches are lucky to get on the platform and talk.. Well, as the human who owns my company and sees the value directly associated with these guys sharing their stories and thoughts, I think that’s bull—t.

"If somebody’s making money off of this, I’m making money off of this. If nobody’s making any money, and it’s all for goodwill, I’m making no money as well’ is my mindset for doing stuff and I treat my company the same way. I give rather large bonuses as thank you’s and I genuinely believe it’s the only way to operate.” 

Specifically, McAfee says Rodgers has made "over $1,000,000" for the show.

While the story gained attention Thursday, it's not rare for a show to pay a weekly guest for their services.

For reference, ESPN pays Chris "Mad Dog" Russo $10,000 a week to appear on First Take.

We at OutKick are fans of the Mad Dog and his hysterics. But if he's worth $500,000 a year to debate Stephen A., Rodgers is worth millions to converse with McAfee.

Sources say ESPN paid Michael Irvin, for the same role as Russo, about $17,000 a week last season. (Irvin is now a contributor on FS1.)

Perhaps Eli Manning is a more apples-to-apples comparison to Rodgers. WFAN used to pay Eli around $125,000 to appear for 15-to-20 minutes, per The Post.

If Eli ever made a headline from those appearances, that is news to us. Rodgers makes headlines weekly.

Rodgers is appointment television. His appearances with McAfee are one of the few reasons to watch a talk show live in the year 2023.

His conversations on the show are unique. He avoids player-speak, pre-approved language to avoid giving journalists a story to promote.

“Aaron Rodgers Tuesdays” are real, without restrictions, and problematic for a network in bed with Big Pharma sponsorships.

McAfee's success is, in part, tethered to Aaron Rodgers. According to McAfee, Rodgers is worth more than the seven figures he pays him.

The success of interviews is consistent with that statement.