Fox play-by-play broadcaster Kenny Albert came under fire on social media during Week 1 of the 2026 NFL season because when the New Orleans Saints‘ starting running back got the football, he referred to him by a last name that sounded like “Achane.”
As in, the last name of the Miami Dolphins‘ star RB, De’Von Achane.
That’s not what was happening, though. Albert was pronouncing the name he was supposed to be just as he was supposed to be doing it.
That was Travis Etienne, formerly of the Jacksonville Jaguars and now with the Saints. And that’s how Etienne wants his name pronounced this season, and so that’s how announcers will pronounce it all season.
Travis Etienne Pronunciation Guide
Etienne’s last name, in his NFL career prior to this year, was essentially pronounced like three letters: “E-T-N.”
That’s no longer the case.
Etienne told reporters after signing with the Saints that he wants the name pronounced the way it was when he was growing up.
He even spelled it out: “A-C-H-A-N-E.”
Yep, he was basically making sure everyone knew it should be pronounced like the Dolphins RB’s last name.
Achane’s last name itself was actually a bit of a confusing one when he first came to the NFL, but it was pretty much cleared up. It’s said like “Ay-chan.”
Why Did Travis Etienne’s Name Pronunciation Change?
This is how Etienne explained it in his introductory press conference:
“Growing up, it [was] Travis [Achane]. A-C-H-A-N-E. That’s how they always said it, Travis [Achane]. But when I went to college, I kept telling them my name, like, every day, every day, every day. After like four weeks, they just couldn’t get it. So I’m like, ‘Man, it’s [ETN]. How you see it is how you say it.’ That’s how that became, and it kind of just took off because it was easier for the announcers to say it, I didn’t have to correct them every day [how] to say my name. Just when I kind of started learning more about my last name and how it came about… it just kind of stuck, it made sense.”
Etienne is from Jennings, Louisiana, where the French roots of his last name don’t sneak up on people.
“I’m very much open to being Travis [Achane] again, just being myself,” Etienne said. “I don’t have to correct people here on how to say my name each and every day. And I kind of love that. Just getting back to me.”
Etienne gets a sort of homecoming by playing in New Orleans, and it wasn’t a bad gig, as he signed a four-year, $52 million contract this offseason to join the Saints.
The Dolphins’ Achane, though, actually one-upped that. His offseason extension was signed for four years and $64 million.
Not bad for two NFL running backs whose last names sound the same.
Why ‘Achane’ Pronunciation of Saints RB Confuses With Dolphins Star