Emmanuel Acho Turns Up The Heat
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Emmanuel Acho is no stranger to turning up the heat; it’s a regular weekday occurrence in his role as lead host of the popular Fox Sports program SPEAK. Yet, fiery debates aren’t the only instances in which the Texas native has had to be mindful of the temperature in the room.
A former pro football player, the media sensation has spent the majority of his life getting physical while simultaneously staying cool, calm, and collected enough to seize each moment and opportunity. A highly-ranked high school recruit, Acho played college ball at the University of Texas, graduating in 2011 with a degree in sports management. Selected by the Cleveland Browns in the sixth round of the 2012 NFL Draft, the linebacker missed his entire first season with a leg injury before being traded to the Philadelphia Eagles. Following a short stint on the New York Giants’ practice squad, Acho finally suited up for the Eagles during the 2013 and 2014 NFL seasons before retiring in 2015.
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The Nigerian-American quickly pivoted into media, first in a role with his alma mater’s Longhorn network in 2016 before signing on with ESPN in 2018. Covering collegiate football for the network, Acho departed ESPN two years later, accepting an offer to join Fox Sports. It was during this period when national cries for social justice after the murder of George Floyd prompted the former gridiron star to launch the digital series Uncomfortable Conversations with a Black Man.
Tackling racial issues from his own unique perspective, Uncomfortable Conversations yielded critical acclaim and won a PrimeTime Emmy for Outstanding Short Form Nonfiction or Reality Series. Acho released a book titled after the series in 2020, as well as its follow-up, Uncomfortable Conversations with a Black Boy, the following year. The New York Times bestselling author is now recognized as a promising young mind in media and literature.
Having added a Sports Emmy and a third New York Times bestseller to his resume, the 32-year-old’s profile has risen in phoenix fashion. Unlikely to flame out anytime soon, Acho has gotten assistance in keeping his cool by Degree deodorant, which he partnered with earlier this year. He was also present for the launch of the brand’s new Unlimited collection at SXSW, where he participated in Degree’s “What Makes America Sweat” panel alongside music star Ciara, dermatologist Dr. Michelle Henry, and VP of R&D North America at Unilever, Connie Avramis.
VIBE spoke with Emmanuel Acho about the success of SPEAK, his transition from athletics to media, being an ambassador for Degree Deodorant, and what we can expect from him next.
You formerly played in the NFL, but have made the successful transition to media. When did your media aspiration start?
Media aspirations started after my NFL career ended. Once I realized that I probably wasn’t gonna be a Pro Bowl or a Hall of Fame type of player, I said, ‘Okay, it’s time to transition into something where I might be able to excel.’ And that’s why we made that media switch.
What lessons did you learn in sports that have benefited you in this new realm?
I think the biggest sports lesson is perseverance, right? It’s that and it’s confidence. If you think about the partnership with Degree and what I learned in sports, there’s just synergy there. It’s making sure that your confidence is what allows you to excel. I said on stage today with Ciara and Dr. [Michelle] Henry and Connie Avramis, I said ‘Your attitude determines your altitude.’ And I think that if you can have that confidence, which Degree inspires as well, then sky’s the limit.
You’re currently the host of FS1’s SPEAK. How did that opportunity come about?
After spending four years with ESPN, I had the opportunity to go host my own show. And when you have the opportunity to level up, when you have the opportunity to take that next step and to really grow into your own, you have to take it. So that’s really how it came about, it’s another partnership thing. Fox Sports saw in me something that made sense for them, just like Degree saw in me something that made sense. And I always look to find partners that are on the same mission that have the same objective. And yeah, Fox Sports found me and we made the move.
How did the partnership with Degree come about?
Man, well first thing, I always look for partnerships where there is synergy. And Degree’s latest Unlimited product. Its tagline is quite literally ‘live without limits.’ And for those familiar with my work, my last book that I wrote with Oprah is Illogical: Saying Yes To a Life Without Limits. So instantaneously—my most recent work and what drives me and Degree’s latest Unlimited series—it has the exact same objective in mind, which is help promote living without limits, simple as that. So when I heard of what they were doing and they reached out to me, it was an absolute no brainer.
Whenever you get to partner with the product you actually use, that’s when it’s best. Sometimes you get reached out to by these products that you don’t use and you try to fake the front, but I’ve been using Degree since I played in the NFL. Degree was the thing that I used to help keep me from sweating, so that was just dope that it could work out like that.
Your brother, Sam, is also a former NFL player who is now in media. How would you describe that relationship and how y’all have helped each other?
Man, my brother’s my rock. That’s probably my best friend in this life. We really just cheer each other on. He got to the NFL first and he told me what I needed to do to succeed in the NFL. Then I got into media first and I told him what he needed to do to succeed in media. So we really just have a tag-teaming type of brotherhood, if you will
Dope. You previously won a Primetime Emmy, what was that feeling like?
Man, a smile lit up on my face when you just said it. Anytime I hear or speak of that Emmy Award, I just start beaming, that’s probably my greatest earthly accomplishment. To win an Emmy is something not a lot of people can do and then to do it in the primetime field just means more. It’s one thing to win a Sports Emmy, that’s cool, but it’s another thing to create a show and have that show move the pulse of the world—so much that it would be honored by winning an Emmy. It’s crazy. But now, in the mantra of living without limits, now I need a Grammy and Oscar and a Tony.
EGOT status. You’ve published multiple books thus far. When can the public expect a return from Acho the author?
Man, that’s a great question. I’m working on some right now. I can’t announce it just yet, but y’all will probably hear of another book announcement for me in the next two months. I would say I chase the pulse of society and the pulse of society was one around racial tension.
You’ve also gained acclaim from your Uncomfortable Conversations with a Black Man series, which garnered you the Emmy Award we spoke about. What inspired you to create that platform?
I started the Uncomfortable Conversation series because I wanted to be a bridge. There was so much racial tension in society and I realized that I might be uniquely called to speak in this moment. So that’s really why I started the series, and thankfully it resonated with the masses. So I just try to go where I’m called.
On SPEAK, you work with LeSean Shady McCoy, Joy Taylor, and David Helman. So what’s that chemistry like?
When you work with people that you love, it’s easy to have chemistry. I’ve known LeSean McCoy since I was 22, when I was playing for the Philadelphia Eagles and he was a star running back in Philly. David Helman, him and I did a digital show with the Dallas Cowboys together back in 2016. And Joy Taylor was one of the first people on that when I moved to Los Angeles. So it’s easy to have chemistry when you really work with [people that’s] like your family. So I try to make sure anybody I work with, I consider family. Anybody I partner with, like Degree, I consider family because then it’s not work. Then it’s just living life. You just get to live life and hopefully create great content with family.
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