ESPN Deportes’ Monday Night Football coverage in Spanish will feature award-winning sportscaster and writer MJ Acosta-Ruiz as a sideline reporter.
She will also continue to work at NFL Network and anchor ESPN SportsCenter shows that are broadcast from Los Angeles on a regular basis.
Acosta-Ruiz will work as a sideline reporter for ESPN Deportes during the NFL’s preseason Hall of Fame game between the Chicago Bears and Houston Texans on Thursday, August 1, at 8 p.m. ET, marking her debut on the network. Later this month, she will make her SportsCenter debut.
“Adding MJ to our squad makes us very happy. “She is a great addition to ESPN because of her impressive background, adaptability, and career in sports journalism,” stated Oscar Ramos, vice president of digital and ESPN Deportes. “We are excited about her contributions to SportsCenter and our Monday Night Football coverage on ESPN Deportes in Spanish.”
I am excited to be a part of the ESPN family, Acosta-Ruiz continued. Serving the sports community in both Spanish and English has been a consistent feature of my work, and I am grateful to be able to do it with this esteemed group of people who also value inclusivity and excellence.
In 2020, the esteemed journalist was appointed as the host of NFL Total Access, making history as the first Afro-Latina to lead a show on NFL Network. Being fully bilingual in both Spanish and English, she works globally on all platforms to reach the expanding and diverse market outside of the United States.
2018 saw Acosta-Ruiz join NFL Network after working as the lead sports anchor for three seasons in both English and Spanish on NBC and Telemundo in San Diego, where she covered the Chargers, Padres, and international soccer. She won a regional Emmy for Best Newscast while she was employed at Telemundo. Acosta-Ruiz worked as a reporter for WPLG, the ABC affiliate in Miami and Fort Lauderdale, for three years covering sports, entertainment, and breaking news before joining NBC and Telemundo.
Former Miami Dolphins cheerleader Acosta-Ruiz earned a Bachelor of Arts in Communications from Barry University. She received an honorary doctorate in human letters from her alma mater in 2024.
MJ has been working as an advocate for equity and representation in the industry for about 15 years. MJ is committed to elevating the perspectives of underrepresented communities and collaborates closely with organizations that support women, such A Seat at the Table.