The Biggest Woj Bomb Yet: Why Adrian Wojnarowski Gave Up $21 Million To Retire From ESPN

By on September 23, 2024 in ArticlesSports News

For years, Adrian Wojnarowski has been synonymous with breaking news. The former ESPN reporter would share information at the drop of a hat across the NBA, such as free agent signings, correctly predicting draft picks, and announcing major trades, like Paul George to the Los Angeles Clippers or Anthony Davis to the Los Angeles Lakers. Seeing a graphic with the word "BREAKING" over it alongside a Woj tweet wasn't uncommon.

Wojnarowski also had a growing rivalry with Shams Charania of The Athletic and Stadium. The once-protege-turned-competitor is a timeless tale, and sports nuts enjoyed the breaking news battles between the two.

However, all that reporting took its toll on Wojnarowski, and he dropped a major Woj Bomb on September 18: He was leaving his job at ESPN, retiring from the news industry to take a role as the general manager of the St. Bonaventure Bonnies, his alma mater.

Allen Berezovsky/Getty Images

Woj certainly won't be making as much as the $7 million per year and $21 million remaining on his ESPN contract. He's opted to trade in money for something else: time. 

Naturally, Wojnarowski broke news of his move to the Bonnies on X/Twitter, the platform he had shared so many stories on before.

"Time isn't in endless supply and I want to spend mine in ways that are personally meaningful," Wojnarowski wrote. He also noted he was no longer driven to make the commitment required of his role. He'd been reporting news for 37 years, beginning as a reporter at the Hartford Courant. He'd been at ESPN for the past seven years.

After Woj's announcement, ESPN NFL Insider Adam Schefter appeared on the network and shared that being so connected has its drawbacks. Schefter cited stories of having to be on your phone while at the urinal or keeping it pressed up against the glass of a shower to see when a text was coming in.

Eventually, Wojnarowski just got burnt out. He'll still have responsibilities at St. Bonaventure, but it'll be much more comforting to know he can go to sleep without worrying about the latest trade demand or free agent buzz.

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