.jpg) Gbajabiamila in 2024 | |||||||||
| No. 98, 94, 93 | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Position | Defensive end | ||||||||
| Personal information | |||||||||
| Born | (1979-05-06)May 6, 1979 (age 46) Los Angeles, California, U.S. | ||||||||
| Height | 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m) | ||||||||
| Weight | 265 lb (120 kg) | ||||||||
| Career information | |||||||||
| High school | Crenshaw(Los Angeles) | ||||||||
| College | San Diego State | ||||||||
| NFL draft | 2003: undrafted | ||||||||
| Career history | |||||||||
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* Offseason and/or practice squad member only | |||||||||
| Career NFL statistics | |||||||||
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Akbar Gbajabiamila | |
|---|---|
| Born | Los Angeles, California, U.S. |
| Occupation | Sports commentator, TV personality, author, Executive Producer, former linebacker |
| Website | |
| iamakbar | |
Akbar Oluwakemi-Idowu Gbajabiamila (named in some sources asGbaja-Biamila, born May 6, 1979)[1] is an American former professionalfootball player in theNational Football League (NFL) who is a commentator and co-host ofAmerican Ninja Warrior and its spinoffAmerican Ninja Warrior Junior. He is also an analyst for theNFL Network, co-hosting the flagship morning showGood Morning Football (and syndicated spinoff/extension showGood Morning Football: Overtime) and was a co-host ofThe Talk onCBS from 2021 to 2024.
Gbajabiamila is Nigerian-American and grew up in theCrenshaw district of Los Angeles with his mother and father, both of whom were born and raised inNigeria, and his six siblings. Among his siblings is formerGreen Bay Packersdefensive endKabeer Gbaja-Biamila. Before starting his professional career, Gbajabiamila playedcollege football for theSan Diego State Aztecs. He was signed by theOakland Raiders as an undrafted free agent in 2003. Gbajabiamila played for two other teams, theSan Diego Chargers andMiami Dolphins.
Gbajabiamila is also an author, having released his first book,Everyone Can Be a Ninja on May 7, 2019.
Akbar Oluwakemi-Idowu Gbajabiamila was born on May 6, 1979, inLos Angeles,California, to Nigerian immigrant parents. He is one of seven children.[2] He grew up inCrenshaw District, and attendedCrenshaw High School inSouth Los Angeles, where he was a star basketball player on teams that were part of the Willie West Jr. coaching era.[2] He and his teammates won back-to-back City and State Championships in 1996 and 1997.[3] Gbajabiamila moved to play football during his senior year. He was an all-league and all-conference choice. He was also named the team's defensive lineman of the year, compiling 11 sacks and 74 tackles in his senior campaign.[3]
In his senior year, Gbajabiamila received scholarship offers fromUniversity of Oregon,University of California, Berkeley,San Diego State,Fresno State, andColorado State. He chose to go toSan Diego State University, where his older brother also attended.[2] Gbajabiamila was an all-Mountain West Conference in 2002. He joined the group Athletes For Education, an outreach group that sent players into communities to work with young people on developing their life skills.[3] He graduated with a degree in communication and new media studies, before completing a certified entrepreneurship program at theWharton School of Business in 2005.[2]
| Height | Weight | |||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6 ft4+3⁄4 in (1.95 m) | 268 lb (122 kg) | |||||||||||
| Values from San Diego State's Pro Day[4] | ||||||||||||
Gbajabiamila went undrafted in the2003 NFL draft and later signed with theOakland Raiders as afree agent.[5] He made the team out of training camp and played in 13 of the team's 16 regular season games.[3] He recorded seven tackles (four solos) on the season,[6] with his first and only sack of the season coming againstDaunte Culpepper, then with theMinnesota Vikings.
In 2004, Gbajabiamila split time between defensive end andlinebacker, occasionally filling in for players such asTravian Smith andTyler Brayton. He appeared in 14 games for the Raiders during the regular season and was inactive for two games. He accumulated a career-high 14 tackles (11 solo) and added a sack on the year.[6] That sack came againstBrad Johnson and theTampa Bay Buccaneers, while he recorded a season-high three tackles in games against theDenver Broncos andJacksonville Jaguars. Gbajabiamila also recovered a blocked punt against theCarolina Panthers which led to a Raiders touchdown.
Battling injuries during the 2005 training camp, Gbajabiamila was released by the Raiders on September 3. He had a workout with theGreen Bay Packers two days later, but he was not signed and spent the season out of football.
Gbajabiamila returned to the NFL in 2006 after being signed by theSan Diego Chargers on January 12. The fit was a good one for him, who as a slightly undersized yet quick defensive end was a perfect fit for the 3-4 defense employed by then-defensive coordinatorWade Phillips and the Chargers.
On February 6, 2007, it was announced that Gbajabiamila had been signed to a future contract worth $7.4 million with the Miami Dolphins. The move reunited him with new Dolphins head coachCam Cameron, who was the offensive coordinator in San Diego the season before when Gbaja-Biamila was a member of the Chargers. On September 11, 2007, he was released by the Dolphins after appearing in one game.[7] He spent the season out of football.
Gbajabiamila briefly returned to the Raiders in 2008, but did not appear in a game and was released before the start of the season.
In 2005, Gbajabiamila was selected as one of the NFL's first athletes into their Broadcast Boot Camp, held in Mount Laurel, N.J., and designed to give 20 players a short and rigorous look into the skills needed to embark on a broadcast or journalism career after their playing careers. He also took advantage of some time between playing stints to volunteer at KSWB, the NBC affiliate in San Diego, and ended up as the co-host forFootball Night in San Diego. He hosted the show for two and a half seasons (2006–2008) before getting one last shot in the NFL with theMiami Dolphins.[8]
With his playing career over, Gbajabiamila turned his focus to the broadcast booth in addition to his philanthropic work, serving as an analyst for the Mtn. Network and CBS Sports Network for two years, while also taking voice and acting classes. He also founded Rush The Passer, a year-round athletic, academic, and life skills program for youth in Southern California.
In 2010 he was approached by reality producer Mark Burnett to be part of a three-man athlete team for his latest project on ABC,Expedition Impossible.[2] His team "The Football Players" finished in 4th place on the show. That role, and the exposure that came with it, helped further Akbar's exposure.
As of 2012[update], he has joined theNFL Network as a member of theNFL Fantasy Live cast of hosts. In 2013, he became a color commentator alongsideMatt Iseman forAmerican Ninja Warrior being broadcast onG4,Esquire Network, andNBC.[9] The pair also co-hostsTeam Ninja Warrior, a spin-off ofAmerican Ninja Warrior that debuted on Esquire Network in 2016, andAmerican Ninja Warrior Junior together onUniversal Kids in 2018.[8] The duo provide their voices as themselves inAmerican Ninja Warrior: Challenge.[10]
On May 10, 2018, Gbajabiamila threw out the first pitch atCitizens Bank Park before a game between theSan Francisco Giants andPhiladelphia Phillies. The pitch was heavily criticized.[11][12]
On September 2, 2021, it was announced that Akbar Gbaja-Biamila would joinThe Talk as a permanent co-host, and the second full-time male co-host on the show. Gbajabiamila appeared as a guest co-host on multiple episodes in June and July.
In 2024 Gbaja-Biamila co-hosted the "Stanley Pup," a special produced to air alongside theStanley Cup playoffs. The program promoted pet adoption while showing 16 puppies with each dog representing one of the NHL2024 playoff teams.[13]
Akbar is married and has four children. His wife is Chrystal Gbajabiamila.[14] His ancestry isNigerian ofYoruba ethnicity. Both of his parents wereMuslim, until his mother converted toChristianity. He was raised in aSunni Muslim household but converted to Christianity while in college.[15] In 2000, his father, Mustapha, was diagnosed withParkinson's disease. In 2002, his mother, Bolatito, died in acar crash.[16] While a member of the Chargers in 2006, Akbar routinely drove back and forth from San Diego to Los Angeles to spend time with his father.
Gbajabiamila currently serves as a board member for the Asomugha Foundation, an organization aimed at creating better educational opportunities for impoverished communities.[2] Akbar also serves on the board of theMichael J. Fox Foundation, which raises millions of dollars forParkinson's research.[17]
| Media offices | ||
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| Preceded by | The Talk co-host 2021-present | Incumbent |
