Emmanuel Acho is sharing his honest thoughts about this Bachelor Nation couple.
The 30-year-old host and former NFL player recently opened up about how he really feels about Matt James and Rachael Kirkconnell's relationship. It was just a few months ago that the pair rekindled their romance after calling it quits following Rachael's controversial past behavior.
Emmanuel even witnessed the dramatic aftermath of Matt and Rachael's split when he hosted After the Final Rose. But despite the couple's rocky road to reconnecting, the retired athlete said he couldn't be more excited to see them back together.
"I'm happy for them and I'm happy for them because I knew that they at least needed to be together in the interim," he told Kaitlyn Bristowe during an interview on her Off The Vine podcast. "And why? Because he fell in love with an individual and was not cognizant of the individual's past actions."
Emmanuel recalled hosting After the Final Rose and speaking with The Bachelor star about whether or not he and Rachael could still have a future together.
"So as I'm sitting there asking Matt all these questions, I'm just like, he's not going to be with her right now because he can't," Emmanuel shared, adding, "As a Black man...if you decide to pursue a relationship in that climate with this white woman, with the whole world calling her racist, now everybody's calling you all types of names that I won't even utter on this."
Simply put, "Matt's hands were tied."
Emmanuel continued, "I'm speaking as a Black man, it would've been impossible for him to leave the stage with her without getting crucified."
However, the Fox Sports analyst pointed out that even though they decided to part ways that night, their chemistry was undeniable.
"What people did not see is that after the cameras cut, they left arm-over-arm. There was still so much affection," Emmanuel revealed, adding that he loves seeing them together. "So I'm beyond thrilled...it makes me happy to see them happy. I didn't want the polarization of racism in our society to keep them from being together."
Earlier this month, Matt and Rachael proved their relationship is stronger than ever. The two dressed to the nines for a special date night at the 2021 ESPYS, which marked their first red carpet as a couple.
During an interview in May, the real estate broker gushed over the Georgia native and opened up about why he's fallen even harder for her.
"The best thing about Rachael is her heart," Matt shared on The Pomp Podcast. "She's the most kind, caring person, understanding, I've ever met. Everything we've been through, everything she's been through, she's stuck right by my side. She's continued to have a positive attitude towards everything. It's one of the many things I love about her."