NFL Star Sam Acho Reflects on Gratitude, Humility and Influence

Published: February 21, 2023

NFL Star Sam Acho Reflects on Gratitude, Humility and Influence

By Movieguide® Contributor

Former NFL player Sam Acho reflected on what gratitude, humility and influence look like in the Christian life on a recent episode of the Sports Spectrum podcast.

3When asked about his thoughts on gratitude, Acho described how different songs come into his mind, specifically Brandon Lake’s “Gratitude.”

“I throw up my hands and praise you again and again because all that I have is a hallelujah,” he quoted. “I know it’s not much, but I’ve nothing else fit for a king except for my heart singing hallelujah.”

“I think about these songs,” he explained. “So if you have this attitude and idea of gratitude, for me the first word that comes this is songs…hallelujah.”

Acho also reflected on what humility should look like, even though he recognizes his own struggle to live it out fully.

“I’m torn,” he began. “The first thing that comes in my heart this feeling of ‘Oh, that’s me,’ which is kind of like opposite.”

“But then I really think of humility as this idea of you just being you and breathing you,” Acho added.

“That’s humility. It’s not backing down or shying away…it’s being you and showing up as you.”

“So humility is stepping in and walking into your your God-given gifts, abilities, talents and purpose,” he said. However, he emphasized that people may never see how he has humbled himself before God, and that is okay.

Acho also discussed how God has given him a platform, and gratitude and humility play an important role in taking on that responsibility and using his platform how God wants.

Acho played for the NFL for nine seasons with the Buccaneers, Bears, Cardinals and Bills. Sports Spectrum reports that he is now a television personality on ESPN, and his second book Change Starts with You will release on March 7.

While not everyone has a large platform, Acho recognizes that everyone has some kind of influence in the world.

“What is keeping you from showing your light to the world?” he asked. “Let’s find out what’s blocking that because you weren’t meant to hide. You were meant to be a city on a hill. You were meant to shine and to be seen.”