Philadelphia Eagles: So, Nnamdi Asomugha is an actor now

After spending a decade as one of the best players in the NFL, ex-Philadelphia Eagles cornerback Nnamdi Asomugha has found a second career: Acting.

While researching a piece on Ronald Darby and whether or not the Philadelphia Eagles should re-sign him (read it here), I had to google Nnamdi Asomugha to double-check his name’s spelling and was met with article after article about his newest venture: acting.

That’s right, Nnamdi Asomugha, the two-time All-Pro cornerback who played for the Eagles from 2011-12 and famously ate his lunch in his car apparently become a pretty darn good actor and is set to produce and star in ‘Sylvie‘ as Robert, a jazz saxophonist opposite Tessa Thompson.

Wow.

For those unaware, Thompson is kind of having a moment at the moment, appearing in three of the better movies of 2018 in Annihilation (as Josie), Boots Riley’s ‘Sorry to Bother You’ (as Detroit), and as Philadelphia’s own Bianca in Creed II, so landing a leading role across from her is a pretty significant accomplishment, regardless of an actor’s pedigree.

But after appearing in Crown Heights in 2017, it’s clear Asomugha has what it takes.

Though the film initially passed me by, which is saying something as I’m a professional sports writer who’s also studying screenwriting at UCLA, after watching Asomugha shine across from LeKeith Stanfield of ‘Get Out’ and ‘Atlanta’ fame, it’s clear he has a serious talent when it comes to acting. Asomugha’s performance in Crown Heights was so special that he received a Spirit Award nomination for the Best Supporting Actor, an award he ultimately lost to eventual Academy Award winner Sam Rockwell for his performance in ‘Three Billboards outside Ebbing, Missouri’.

I mean he is married to Kerry Washington, one of the most accomplished televisions actors of the generation, so maybe some of that has worn off.

Could ‘Sylvie’ become Asomugha’s breakout role, and launch his career into the mainstream consciousness alongside other former NFL players like Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson, Terry Crews, and Terry Bradshaw? Only time will tell, but it’s safe to say he’s come a long way from his appearance on ‘The Kroll Show‘.