This is not my experience with the newer generation of professors in STEM.
Writing that paper means making getting funding and that means networking (giving talks, creating/maintaining collaborations), participating in inter/intra department grant writing, managing students to produce the work, etc.
Of course you could write an amazing research paper but more often than not it won't go to an amazing journal unless you have positive connections in the field (-ie potential reviewers and editors).
Papers in good journals -> Easier to get grants.
A major part of the tenure packet is grants and awards.
Hahaha, some of the people I considered the most academic in my physics cohort are going consulting.
After 5-6 years of making 25k per year and working long hours (which is not bad given the cost-of-living where I was in grad school is low), the salary becomes a very real draw.
This is a good point. There are too many confounding factors. I recently finished my PhD and reflecting back, it was hard and a lot of work, certainly not what I imagined as an undergrad. I worked most weekends and holidays and have a few projects that failed and grants I couldn't produce the results, subsequently losing funding. It was a bit debilitating watching friends and family enjoying the 9-5 lifestyle.
Honestly, what kept me afloat were my Chinese and Indian colleagues that pretty much lived in the office but were candid about the experience.
I'm not staying in academia because physics AP's don't make that much compared industry positions (I want a cybertruck :) ).
However, I'm glad I finished, because it's opened quite a few doors in industry to work on cutting edge tech with problems I want to work on.