It is incredibly difficult to launch a new NFL show in 2025 and bring something fresh. From film breakdowns to social media jokes to interviews to hot takes, there is so much football content these days that even the best commentary gets lost in the mix. But with their new postgame YouTube show Speakeasy, former FS1 teammates Emmanuel Acho and LeSean McCoy are setting themselves apart by scoring live interviews with NFL stars from big games.
In Week 1, the audience got to hear directly from key players from the winning teams immediately after each primetime game on Speakeasy.
What other show can boast live, postgame interviews from the stadium with Lane Johnson, Dion Dawkins and Aaron Jones this past weekend? Just a few days after launching, Speakeasy put itself on the level of the TV networks with these viral conversations. A heck of a debut.
After Monday Night Football, Jones shared what could become the first chapter in the story of Minnesota rookie quarterback J.J. McCarthy.
“Late third, early fourth, we were still down, and J.J. runs in the huddle, after a TV timeout, and he looks at us and he’s like, ‘Is there any place else you guys would rather be?'” Jones recalled.
It drew yelps from both Acho and McCoy and delivered Speakeasy its first viral moment. The clip blew through social media into Tuesday morning and was mentioned in the opening moments of The Pat McAfee Show.
Vikings running back, Aaron Jones, jumped straight into the SPEAKEASY from the locker room for the exclusive interview!
“There was a moment when we were still down, J.J. McCarthy runs in the huddle and looks at us and says, ‘is there anywhere else you’d rather be.’” -Aaron Jones pic.twitter.com/O70nCKZvSF
— Speakeasy (@speakeasytlkshw) September 9, 2025
The hosts had asked Dawkins, the star left tackle, a similar question after Buffalo’s epic Sunday-night victory over Baltimore. They also pulled a great response asking what it’s like watching Derrick Henry break a huge run.
After the season kickoff last Thursday, which began with Philadelphia star Jalen Carter being ejected for spitting on Dallas quarterback Dak Prescott and was delayed for over an hour by a thunderstorm, Johnson joined the show and put it plainly:
“That was the craziest opening to a game I’ve ever been a part of.”
We had @LaneJohnson65 step into the Speakeasy RIGHT AFTER the Eagles’ 24-20 victory over the Cowboys! pic.twitter.com/EpvItH3r3n
— Speakeasy (@speakeasytlkshw) September 5, 2025
Continuing to book guests directly from the biggest games will make Speakeasy a major draw for football fans if Acho and McCoy can keep it up. But landing these interviews takes a ton of time and energy. The top hosts hire people to do it for them.
Beyond the live postgame hits, Speakeasy also landed guest spots from James Jones and DeMarcus Ware, underscoring the legions of star players that these hosts have access to. It is an advantage they should wield, especially when going up directly against Nightcap on YouTube, where Shannon Sharpe and Chad Johnson typically prefer for their takes and jokes to sell the show.
The Speakeasy hosts appear to understand their chemistry as well. A promotion ahead of Week 1 showed McCoy interrupting a typical heartfelt Emmanuel Acho monologue, telling the emotive longtime FS1 star to “cut the emotional bullsh*t.” They balance each other well. If they are self-aware and play off each other, they will make a good show.
It’s time to have an Uncomfortable Conversation about my sports television career. pic.twitter.com/jZJL01Hkdn
— Emmanuel Acho (@EmmanuelAcho) September 3, 2025
McAfee built his show off similar connections. Each week, his show hosts standout appearances from smart coaches and players like Bruce Arians, Darius Butler and Nick Saban. McAfee remains the go-to for NFL interviews. On the ManningCast, viewers get a glimpse of what it is like watching Monday Night Football on the same couch as the Manning brothers and other football players.
Speakeasy has a chance to bring this perspective live, immediately after games. The NFL will deliver close primetime games with millions watching. Emmanuel Acho and LeSean McCoy appear ready to capitalize on that attention and make Speakeasy a show that cuts through and has its own niche in the busy NFL content space.
About Brendon Kleen
Brendon is a Media Commentary staff writer at Awful Announcing. He has also covered basketball and sports business at Front Office Sports, SB Nation, Uproxx and more.