Ted Lasso might be about the adventures of Jason Sudeikis's titular football coach, but the true breakout star has been Toheeb Jimoh's Sam Obisanya, and the actor recently teased details of his character's story arc in the upcoming season 3. A member of the Richmond Greyhounds team who hails from Nigeria, Sam is one of the series' most reliable sources of not just comedy but also a healthy dose of heart.
Across the first two seasons, Sam has consistently proven himself to be one of the team's best players, one of his teammates' truest allies, and one of the show's most nuanced characters. All the while, he delivers quotes at times both hilarious and heartwarming, constantly inspiring his friends and the viewers to be better people.
"I Think We Should All Be A Goldfish."
Sam Summarizes The Series' Point Of View
Ted Lasso as a whole has been noted for its almost unflagging optimism and gentleness. While Ted is a pretty upbeat guy most of the time, Sam might actually be the sweetest and most hopeful character in the series, perfectly embodied by his willingness to "be a goldfish."
Being a goldfish essentially means forgetting everything that came before that might have hurt you, in order to keep living in the here and now. Sam takes this in stride, facing every challenge as it presents itself but never letting anything change the good person he is.
"Similar To Whenever Colin Drives Me Somewhere In His Lamborghini."
Sam Has A Real Gift For Explaining His Feelings
By virtue of his buoyant personality, Sam is almost always excitable whenever he is describing anything. He has a real knack for making even the most mundane everyday experience sound exciting — or in some cases, like a thrilling and unpredictable adventure.
When Sam is feeling both "very nervous, but also very excited" about something, he doesn't settle for a standard cliche. Instead, he accurately describes the feeling as akin to "whenever Colin," his clueless but well-meaning teammate, "drives [him] somewhere in his Lamborghini."
"It's What's Best For Me And My Personal Journey."
Sam Finally Puts Himself First At The End Of Season Two
Ted Lasso season 2 is better than season 1 for many reasons, but a major one is that it finally gives Sam the storyline focus and character development he deserves. When Sam is courted by a billionaire to join his new upstart football club, he genuinely considers it, all while navigating a complex romantic relationship with Rebecca.
Sam is a careful man who doesn't make any decision lightly, always considering who will be affected. That's what makes it so satisfying when, at the season's end, he finally resolves to "stop worrying about how others feel about [him]" and do "what's best for [him] and [his] personal journey."
"Everyone Was Making Such A Fuss, I Thought I Should Just Stay Down."
Sam Is A Team Player - And A Comedian
Football players often get made fun of for their on-the-pitch theatrics, particularly when it involves complaining about calls that didn't go their way or over-exaggerating an injury. Ted Lasso lovingly makes fun of this trend through a hilarious Sam moment.
After Sam appears to get injured in the middle of a decisive game, he stays down on the ground as the crowd panics, only to inform Roy that "it doesn't even hurt anymore, but everyone was making such a fuss, [he] thought [he] should just stay down."
"Oh, And Also Air Jordans."
Sam Obisanya: A Man Of Integrity And Style
Sam's integrity is shown when he refuses to wear the new team kits that bear the logo of a company actively harming his home country. His teammates respect his decision and support him, resulting in Richmond finding a new corporate sponsor. Sam is established as a leader based on this integrity and his kindness.
But there is more to Sam than just his commitment to important causes: he also likes to look good, and is proud of it. When describing what's important to him, he lists off, "issue-oriented products, you know, pro-environment or anti-pollution" but "also, Air Jordans."
"We've Never Been So Connected, Yet Never Further Apart."
Sam's Playful Social Commentary
It's one of the most surprising reveals in the entire series to date when viewers learn that Sam and Rebecca are in a romantic relationship. Their courtship begins via the dating app Bantr, the team's new corporate sponsor, which leads to some awkward interactions where they don't realize they are conversing with each other through the app and in person at once.
When they nearly run into each other while walking in the clubhouse and using their phones, Sam makes a nervous but ever-observant comment: "These machines, huh? We've never been so connected, yet never further apart."
"Jan Maas Is Not Being Rude. He's Just Being Dutch."
Sam Understands His Teammates Too Well
The boys of the Richmond Greyhounds team spend entirely too much time together. Even though they might not always get on, it's clear that through their time in the locker room, on the pitch, and traveling together, they have come to know one another like brothers. Sam is perhaps one of the most observant of the bunch.
Sam might be one of the youngest players on the Greyhounds, but that doesn't stop him from knowing all of his fellow teammates' good and bad sides in great detail. As he observes at one point, "Jan Maas is not being rude. He's just being Dutch."
"Colonization."
Sam's Holiday Spirit Is A Bit Different Than Leslie's
The season 2 Christmas episode, "Carol of the Bells," is widely regarded as one of Ted Lasso's best episodes. While the episode features many holiday-related storylines, the team gathering for Christmas dinner at the Higgins family home is a source of great character work for all characters involved.
One well-meaning exchange between Sam and Leslie during the festivities perfectly highlights Sam's strength as a character. When Leslie asks Sam "what Christmas makes [him] think of ... back home," Sam cheerily responds, "Colonization." Even in such a difficult subject, there is no malice to be found in Sam Obisanya.
"I'm Only Gonna Get More Wonderful."
Sam Reminds Rebecca How Difficult It Will Be To Resist Him
The romance between Sam and Rebecca ends rather gently, with both of them still on good terms and agreeing that it's just too complex given their situation and the potential messiness of feelings. It's an incredibly mature breakup between two deeply sensitive and caring people, who are both also some of Ted Lasso's best characters.
But no matter how lovely and satisfying the breakup is for their characters, it's not hard to agree with Sam when he playfully warns Rebecca that he is "only gonna get more wonderful," and therefore harder to resist with time.
"...Not Just Because Of Who Their Family Is."
Sam's Kindness And Generosity Knows No Bounds
Given Sam's status as a star player and his access to so much of the finest that life has to offer, it would be all too easy for a character in his shoes to have a holier-than-thou view of the world, particularly when it comes to wealth and reputation. But time and again, Sam proves that he is not at all like any of those other people, and that's what makes him so damn easy to love.
When discussing the idea of talent versus privilege with Rebecca, Sam astutely comments that he "like[s] the idea of someone becoming rich because of what they gave to the world, not just because of who their family is." Sam himself is a shining example of that.