Former NFL player and current ESPN NFL analyst Sam Acho spoke at the Ronald Reagan Foundation Center on Civility & Democracy’s inaugural Reagan Civility & Democracy Forum last week, emphasizing the importance of civility among Americans, particularly in sports.

"We talked about civility in sports and how many of the same attributes athletes use can be applied to civil discourse: sportsmanship, winning and losing the right way, and playing within a set of rules," Acho told Fox News Digital.

Acho reflected on moments such as when Colin Kaepernick protested during the national anthem, noting that the NFL locker room did not shy away from discussing such issues. He recounted, "No, I actually went and said, 'Oh, we have practice in like 15 minutes.' Then we had meetings in two hours."

As a former professional athlete and prominent sports media figure, Acho shared his vision for how athletes and sports media can promote civility nationwide. He also referenced the dynamics of recent NFL games, including a preseason matchup where 74 Buffalo Bills players looked on during a game against the Detroit Lions at Ford Field in Detroit.

Acho further commented on the broader societal discourse, posing questions like, "Hey, what do we think about what the president said? What do we think about what this governor is trying to do?" He stressed the importance of integrity and accountability in public conversations.

"Well, look, I went there and I'm a broadcaster and we won or we lost or they got the call right," Acho added, underscoring the role of fairness and respect in sports and media.

Sources