Sam Acho

Sam Acho is a former NFL linebacker, media personality, author, humanitarian, and football analyst for ESPN. As an in-studio and game analyst, Acho covers the NFL, college football, and the UFL, drawing on his on-field experience and analytical approach to sports broadcasting. He serves as a lead studio voice on college football Saturdays on ESPN2 and appears regularly on SportsCenter, Get Up, and College Football Live. Acho also contributes as an NFL analyst across ESPN studio programming.

Acho's transition to broadcasting followed a distinguished athletic and academic background. He played college football at the University of Texas, where he received the William V. Campbell Trophy as college football's top scholar-athlete and the NCAA Top VIII Award, which recognizes eight outstanding student-athletes in collegiate athletics. Acho graduated from the business honors program at the McCombs School of Business with a double major in business and marketing and was inducted into the University of Texas Athletics Hall of Honor. He earned an MBA from the Thunderbird School of Global Management. Sporting News recognized Acho as one of the twenty smartest athletes in sports.

Acho was drafted by the Arizona Cardinals and played four seasons as a linebacker before joining the Chicago Bears, where he spent four years. He concluded his professional football career with the Buffalo Bills and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. During his playing career, Acho served as vice president of the NFL Players Association and was twice nominated by the Bears for the Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year Award, which honors both civic and professional contributions.

Outside of broadcasting, Acho is an author and humanitarian. He wrote "Let the World See You" and "Change Starts with You: Following Your Fire to Heal a Broken World." Acho is the founder and president of Athletes for Justice, an organization that unites professional and everyday athletes to address social injustices. As an ambassador for International Justice Mission, Acho advocates for awareness and action against human trafficking and violence. He also serves as vice president of Living Hope Christian Ministries, contributing to healthcare initiatives in Nigeria. Acho has worked with organizations such as International Justice Mission, the American Diabetes Association, and the Clinton Global Initiative, lobbying for justice-related legislative changes. His expertise in football and social advocacy positions him as a knowledgeable voice in sports media and humanitarian work.