Akbar Gbaja-Biamila Biography
Akbar Gbaja-Biamila is a former National Football League (NFL) professional American football player who now works as a commentator and co-host on the American Ninja Warrior television series. He is a former NFL Network analyst and is currently one of the co-hosts of The Talk on CBS.
How Old is Akbar Gbaja-Biamila? – Age
He is 43 years old as of 6 May 2022. He was born in 1979 in Los Angeles, California, United States. Her real name is Akbar Olúwakẹ́mi Ìdòwú Gbàjà-Bíàmílà.
Akbar Gbaja-Biamila Parents – Family
Biamila was born to immigrant Nigerian parents. He is the youngest of seven children. He went to Crenshaw High School in South Los Angeles, where he was a standout basketball player on teams coached by Willie West Jr. In 1996 and 1997, he and his colleagues won back-to-back City and State Championships.
He is of Nigerian and Yoruba origin. Mustapha, his father, was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease in 2000. Bolatito, his mother, died in a vehicle accident in 2002. When playing with the Chargers in 2006, Akbar often traveled from San Diego to Los Angeles to spend time with his father.
How long has Akbar been married? – Wife
Akbar has four children with his wife, Chrystal Gbaja-Biamila.
How tall is Akbar on The Talk? – Height
He stands at a height of 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m).
What Religion is Akbar Gbaja Biamila?
When his mother converted to Christianity, both of his parents were Muslims. He was reared in a Sunni Muslim home but converted to Christianity in college.
Akbar Gbaja-Biamila Ninja Warrior
He joined the NFL Network in 2012 as a part of the NFL Fantasy Live host team. In 2013, he co-hosted American Ninja Warrior with Matt Iseman, which aired on G4, Esquire Network, and NBC. Akbar also co-hosts Team Ninja Warrior with Iseman, an Esquire Network spin-off of American Ninja Warrior that premiered in 2016, and American Ninja Warrior Junior with Iseman on Universal Kids in 2018. In American Ninja Warrior: Challenge, Akbar and Iseman perform as themselves.
Akbar Gbaja-Biamila College
Gbaja-Biamila got scholarship offers from the University of Oregon, the University of California, Berkeley, San Diego State, Fresno State, and Colorado State during his senior year. He picked San Diego State University, where his older brother was also a student. In 2002, Gbaja-Biamila was all-Mountain West Conference. He joined the organization Athletes For Education, which deployed athletes into areas to work with young people on improving life skills. He earned a degree in communication and new media studies before enrolling in the Wharton School of Business’s certified entrepreneurship program in 2005.
Akbar Gbaja-Biamila Miami Dolphins
On February 6, 2007, it was revealed that Gbaja-Biamila has signed a future deal with the Miami Dolphins worth $7.4 million. The transfer reunited him with new Dolphins head coach Cam Cameron, who was the Chargers’ offensive coordinator the previous season while Gbaja-Biamila was a part of the team. The Dolphins waived him on September 11, 2007. He sat out the entire season.
Akbar Gbaja-Biamila NFL
Gbaja-Biamila went undrafted in the 2003 NFL Draft and later endorsed with the Oakland Marauders as a free specialist. After training camp, he was selected to the team and appeared in 13 of the 16 games during the regular season. He made seven solo tackles this season, including his first and only sack against Daunte Culpepper, who was playing for the Minnesota Vikings at the time.
Gbaja-Biamila alternated between playing defensive end and linebacker in 2004 and occasionally substituted for players like Tyler Brayton and Travian Smith. During the regular season, he played in 14 games for the Raiders, missing two of them. He gathered a profession high 14 handles (11 performance) and included a sack the year. While he had a season-high three tackles in games against the Denver Broncos and the Jacksonville Jaguars, that sack came against Brad Johnson and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Against the Carolina Panthers, Gbaja-Biamila also recovered a blocked punt, which resulted in a Raiders touchdown.
On September 3, the Raiders released Gbaja-Biamila, who had been struggling with injuries since the 2005 training camp. Two days later, he participated in a workout with the Green Bay Packers, but he was not signed and missed the entire football season. Gbaja-Biamila was signed by the San Diego Chargers on January 12 and returned to the NFL in 2006. He was a good fit for the Chargers’ 3-4 defense, which was run by then-defensive coordinator Wade Phillips. He was a little undersized but quick defensive end.
Akbar Gbaja-Biamila TV Career
Once his playing career ended, Akbar focused on the broadcast booth in addition to his charity activities, working as an analyst for the Mountain Network and CBS Sports Network for two years while also attending voice and acting training. Rush The Passer, a year-round athletic, intellectual, and life skills program for adolescents in Southern California, was also developed by him. He was invited in 2010 by reality producer Mark Burnett to be part of a three-man athletic squad for his next ABC production, Expedition Impossible. His team, “The Football Players,” placed fourth on the show. The function, and the publicity it provided, aided Akbar’s exposure.
He joined the NFL Network in 2012 as a part of the NFL Fantasy Live host team. In 2013, he co-hosted American Ninja Warrior with Matt Iseman, which aired on G4, Esquire Network, and NBC. Akbar also co-hosts Team Ninja Warrior with Iseman, an Esquire Network spin-off of American Ninja Warrior that premiered in 2016, and American Ninja Warrior Junior with Iseman on Universal Kids in 2018. In American Ninja Warrior: Challenge, Akbar and Iseman perform as themselves.
Gbaja-Biamila threw out the first pitch at Citizens Bank Park on May 10, 2018, before a game between the San Francisco Giants and the Philadelphia Phillies that was widely regarded as one of the worst ever. Gbaja-Biamila joined The Talk as a permanent co-host on September 2, 2021, becoming the show’s second full-time male co-host. In June and July, Gbaja-Biamila featured as a guest co-host on many shows.