Former NFL linebacker Emmanuel Acho has built an impressive media career since retiring in 2015. Acho appeared ‘The Facility‘ to discuss who could win the Defensive Player of the Year.
Emmanuel Acho Makes the Case That Zack Baun Should Be the Defensive Player of the Year
Acho made the case for Zack Baun to be the 2024 Defensive Player of the Year. He brought up statistics, the success of the team, and even compared his season to an all-time great year of a former player.
.@EmmanuelAcho predicts that Zack Baun will be the first Eagle to win DPOY since Reggie White 👀 pic.twitter.com/wi4wyglecG
— The Facility (@TheFacilityFS1) January 1, 2025
“2024 will be the first year an Eagles player will win Defensive Player of the Year since ’87 when Reggie White [did]. Zack Baun has been absolutely balling — 150 tackles, five forced fumbles. No player in the history of the National Football League has ever done that. Furthermore, he is commanding the No. 1 total defense in all of the National Football League.
“His running mate Nakobe Dean got hurt last week, didn’t matter. They put the green dot on Zack Baun’s head and said, ‘Hey, you’re now the commander in chief of this defense.’ Third in the NFL in tackles, second in the NFL in forced fumbles, three and a half sacks, one interception.
“My mind was blown when I saw this. Luke Kuechly, to me one of the best linebackers of this generation, his Defensive Player of the Year [award] in 2013, Zack Baun is having a better season statistically on a better defense in totality. What Zack Baun is doing this year, first Defensive Player of the Year for the Eagles since ’87.”
While Acho believes Baun should be the front-runner to be the Defensive Player of the Year, that does not look like it is going to be the case. According to FanDuel, he is tied with the eighth-best odds to win the award at +10000. Denver Broncos cornerback Pat Surtain is the clear favorite with -230 odds.
The only other realistic contender according to FanDuel is Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker T.J. Watt. He has +190 odds to win the award. No other player has better than +2000 odds.
With only one week remaining in the regular season, it is unlikely for much to change. Acho might be passionate about Baun’s case to win the Defensive Player of the Year award, but it is not very likely at this point.