Emmanuel Acho: There are more than a handful of details about the former football (not soccer) player, but one thing you should know is that he’s a man of many talents.
Even though his football career didn’t go according to how he would have wished, Emmanuel Acho has found a way to be relevant in the Sports media space and other endeavors.
Many know him as a former football player and a television analyst, but there is a side of him that is not entirely known to the public.
AwoofSports dives into Emmanuel Acho’s life in a bid to share some of the details about him that sometimes fail to make the headlines.
In this post, you will get to know about his background, career trajectory, net worth, relationship status, and social media presence among other valuable information about him.
Emmanuel Acho Background
Emmanuel Acho is a former professional footballer and an American Sports analyst for Fox Sports.
He was born on 10 November 1990 in Dallas, Texas to Nigerian Igbo Immigrants: Dr Sonny and Christie Acho. His parents are from Isuikwuator, a local government area in Abia State, Southeast Nigeria.
Acho grew up with his brother Samuel Acho and two other siblings in the Dallas area and attended St. Mark’s School of Texas where his interests in football, basketball, track and field developed.
Emmanuel Achor’s brother
His brother’s name is Samuel Onyedikachi Acho otherwise known as “Sam Acho.” Just like his brother, he attended St. Mark’s school and played football as well.
He played in the National Football League for the Arizona Cardinals, Chicago Bears, Buffalo Bills, and Tampa Bay Buccaneers across nine seasons between 2011 and 2019.
He was also a linebacker just like his brother. Sam Acho once served as the Vice President, the Executive Committee of the NFL Player’s Association in 2018.
Age
How old is Emmanuel Acho? The former Cleveland Browns linebacker is 34 years old as of 2025. He celebrates is birthdays on 10 November every year. He’s going to be 35 this year.
Emmanuel Acho Height
How tall is Emmanuel Acho? He’s 6 feet 2 inches tall. The former footballer would have passed a point guard or small forward if played basketball and would have fared quite well in track and field with his frame and height.
Education
Emmanuel Acho is a well-educated young man and it would interest you to know that he holds a master’s degree.
He attended St. Mark’s School as mentioned earlier where he honed his skills in three sports: football, basketball, and track and field.
He holds a first degree in sports management and a master’s degree in sports psychology from the University of Texas in 2017.
Career
Emmanuel Acho’s football career started at St. Mark’s School as a linebacker. He was very good and was named the state’s top linebacker by Dave Campbell’s Texas Football.
He was also included in ESPNU’s top 150 recruits in the country as of that period.
Acho was also impressive in track and field as he recorded a personal best of 57-4 in shot put and 177-3 in discuss which remains a record in the school till today.
Emmanuel Acho decided to attend the University of Texas after his heroics in school.
He played 48 games during his four-year stint at the University of Texas. He started 26 times and was very influential.
Emmanuel Acho won the 2010 Arthur Ashe Award, he was named to the 2011 AFCA Good Works team and he was a three-time first-team Academic All-Big selection.
Emmanuel Acho was a consensus first-team All-Big 12 linebacker a list drafted by coaches, AP, Houston Chronicles, San Antonio Express-News, and Forth Worth Star-Telegram.
He led his team in tackles in 2011 and he recorded 278 tackles (159 solo), 41 TFL, eight sacks, theee fumble recoveries, 13 PBU and 26 pressures, two INTs, and eight sacks.
He narrowly missed out on the Lott Trophy in 2011. The award celebrates college football’s Defebsiv5Impact Player of the Year.
Professional Football Career
Emmanuel Acho played for just three teams in his professional career as a footballer: the Cleveland Browns, the Philadelphia Eagles, and the New York Giants.
Unfortunately, despite his impressive run at college, his professional career was hindered due to injuries.
Philadelphia Eagles inside linebacker Emmanuel Acho (51) celebrates after making a hit on New York Giants quarterback Eli Manning, bottom, during the first half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Oct. 12, 2014, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Michael Perez)(Michael Perez – AP)[/caption]
Cleveland Browns
He was drafted in the sixth round with the 240th overall pick by the Cleveland Browns in the 2012 NFL draft. However, he didn’t feature for the Cleveland Browns. Emmanuel Acho spent the entire 2012 season with a leg injury.
Philadelphia Eagles
Emmanuel Acho was traded on 11 April the following year to the Philadelphia Eagles in exchange for running back Dion Lewis but was released by the Eagles on September 2.
New York Giants
The New York Giants signed Emmanuel Acho to their practice squad eight days later.
Philadelphia Eagles return
Emmanuel Acho’s NFL journey with the Philadelphia Eagles was a rollercoaster of opportunities, setbacks, and resilience. It began on October 21, 2013, when the Eagles signed him from the Giants’ practice squad to fill a void left by Jake Knott’s injury.
Acho seized the moment, recording his first NFL tackles in six games, though his playing time dwindled with the return of Mychal Kendricks and Knott. By December 17, 2013, Acho found himself waived, only to rejoin the Eagles’ practice squad a day later—a testament to his determination to stay in the game.
A new chapter unfolded in January 2014 when he re-signed with the Eagles. Despite being released in August, he was back on the practice squad the next day and promoted to the active roster by September 9 following Najee Goode’s injury.
When DeMeco Ryans suffered a season-ending injury, Acho stepped up alongside Casey Matthews, playing in 14 games and recording 31 tackles—his most impactful season yet.
However, the following year brought fresh challenges. Waived in 2015 due to a thumb injury, Acho returned on November 9 after Jordan Hicks was placed on injured reserve.
However, fate had other plans—he never saw the field and was released on November 24. This marked the end of Emmanuel Acho’s NFL career, but his story is one of perseverance, proving that even in a game defined by hard hits, the hardest hit comes from never giving up.
Media Career, Activism and Authorship
Emmanuel Acho turned to broadcasting and activism after his NFL career came to an end. He took a temporary role and later permanent as analyst for the Longhorn Network.
Acho began his media career in 2016 as an analyst for the Longhorn Network, later advancing to ESPN2’s college football programming in 2018. In 2020, he joined Fox Sports to co-host “Speak for Yourself,” replacing Jason Whitlock.
He became the lead anchor of the rebranded “Speak” in 2022, alongside Joy Taylor and LeSean McCoy. He also hosted the 25th season of The Bachelor’s “After the Final Rose” special in 2021.
Emmanuel Acho won a Sports Emmy Award for Outstanding Sports Personality/Emerging On-Air Talent in 2018.
Acho didn’t just analyze sports but also use his growing influence in social, and racial justice activism.
Emmanuel Acho launched a digital series, “Uncomfortable Conversations with a Black Man,” aimed at educating viewers about racism, systemic inequality, and social injustice In response to the murder of George Floyd on June 3, 2020
The series inspired a book of the same name, released on November 10, 2020, which sold 18,000 copies on its first day.
An adapted version for young readers, “Uncomfortable Conversations with a Black Boy,” became a #1 New York Times bestseller upon its release on May 4, 2021.
Emmanuel Acho has been vocal about social issues, receiving widespread acclaim, including a Primetime Emmy Award in 2021 for his digital series.
In April 2024, Acho co-authored “Uncomfortable Conversations with a Jew” with Israeli activist Noa Tishby.
The book talks about Judaism, antisemitism, and historical challenges faced by the Jewish community, presented through a conversational format where Acho poses questions that Tishby answers.
Acho has authored three books:
- “Uncomfortable Conversations with a Black Man” (2020)
- “Uncomfortable Conversations with a Black Boy” (2021)
- “Illogical: Saying Yes to a Life Without Limits” (2022)
These works emphasize his commitment to inspiring change and fostering dialogue around critical social issues with respect to the Black race.
All his books are available on Amazon.
Emmanuel Acho’s Net Worth
As of 2024, Emmanuel Acho’s net worth is pegged at about $1m according to Clebritynetworth.com
The source also claims that the former footballer earned close to $2m in salary during his NFL career.
Relationship
Who’s Emmanuel Acho’s girlfriend?
The former linebacker was previously dating Nigerian-American actress, philanthropist and comedian Yvonne Orji but the duo are no longer together.
Emmanuel Acho as of this publication appears to be single and focused on his media and activism career.
Other Endeavors
Emmanuel Acho is a devout Christian and takes part in a religious and medical outreach – a family program initiated by his parents. The name of the outreach is Living Hope Christian Ministries which provides free medical care to rural communities in Nigeria.
In a 2018 tweet, he shared how the outreach was able to cater to 1,800 patients.
“My family’s annual mission trip to #Nigeria COMPLETE! We treated over 1,800 patients, performed 162 surgeries & tried to love like Jesus does.”
Social Media
Emmanuel Acho is active on Twitter (formerly X) with about 400,000 followers. He’s also on Instagram with a million followers.
Emmanuel Acho California Wildfire
The Fox Sports 1 presenter was forced to evacuate his home due to the wildfire in southern California.
Thousands of people have been forced to leave their homes, properties, and businesses due to the raging wildfire.
Emmanuel Acho shared a video on his X page as he was driving to his home to evacuate some valuables
“Please pray for LA Hollywood Hills are now on fire. I just took this video as I am about to evacuate my house.”
He also talked about the wildfire in the intro of In The Facility show intro on Thursday:
“Obviously, starting the show a little differently. In The Facility, like a real football facility, you don’t just bring the laughs, you don’t just bring the jokes, sometimes you bring the real-world problems. Obviously a lot is going on in the real world of LA right now. Some producers have had to evacuate their houses… I had to evacuate my house last night in Hollywood Hills… Please send your thoughts and prayers to any family, friends, and strangers in all of those areas,” Acho said to open the show.
