Former NFL linebacker Emmanuel Acho says he is most excited about his new role with Fox Sports.
The 29-year-old has landed a big job with Fox Sports after parting ways with ESPN and aims to make a big impact.
According to Achor, he wanted to become the Oprah Winfrey of sports media as he settles with his new employers.
He is set to replace Jason Whitlock as Marcellus Wiley’s co-host on FS1’s “Speak For Yourself.”
Achor explained that he initially just wanted to try out broadcasting but, after two years, he now wants to be the best on television.
“I lean into my skill-set. I was 6-[foot]-2, 240 pounds so I played football. I am good with my words, so I said, ‘Let’s try broadcasting out’,” he told the Post.
Fox Sports officially announces hiring of Emmanuel Acho, who will cohost Speak For Yourself with Marcellus Wiley https://t.co/A7DyjjeN8c pic.twitter.com/4iZHgisIrP
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) June 10, 2020
“After doing it for a year or two, I realized I want to be the best on television that has ever been seen on television. People would always say to me: Do you want to be like Michael Strahan? And my response would always be, ‘I want to be like someone who hasn’t been seen yet.’ ”
The former NFL linebacker holds a degree in sports management as well as a master’s degree in sports psychology.
He has often used his voice to speak against racial injustice and discrimination, especially in the aftermath of George Floyd’s death.
His YouTube videos titled “Uncomfortable Conversations with a Black Man” have clocked almost 40 million views.
Achor said he regards sports as a career and wants to use his platforms to bridge the racial divide in societies.
“Sports is a career for me, and I’m very good at it. Bridging the racial divide in our society is what appears to be a calling, as well, for me. I think that both are incredibly important.
“The world needs sports because the world needs entertainment. The world, at times, needs to forget about its pain, its sorrow, its anguish, its struggles,” he added.
