Comedian Sam Richardson cameos in Ted Lasso season 2, episode 11, and his connection to the series is greater than it might first seem. Richardson is one of several noted guest stars who’ve featured in Ted Lasso over the course of its first two seasons, including real-life football commentators Chris Powell and Arlo White. Edwin Akufo, the Ghanaian billionaire played by Richardson, enters the series with an interesting offer – a proposal to buy out the contract of AFC Richmond star Sam Obisanya.
Best known for his role as Richard Splett in Veep and for Detroiters – the comedy series he co-created and co-starred in with Tim Robinson – Richardson should be instantly recognizable to many Ted Lasso viewers. In the show, his character offers Sam an opportunity to join him on his mission to create an African super team, which would mean no longer playing for AFC Richmond. Given Sam’s recent relationship with Rebecca and his affection for the team, Akufo’s ultimatum could have big consequences.
Richardson is perfect for the part of Akufo for more than just his stellar performance. In the past, he and Ted Lasso star Jason Sudeikis have worked together on a number of projects, including the comedy films We’re the Millers and Horrible Bosses 2. Detroiters, the comedy series Richardson starred in and helped create for Comedy Central, also featured Ted Lasso writer Joe Kelly as a writer and producer. It’s fun to see those creative pairings return in Ted Lasso season 2, even if it’s just for one brief episode.
Given Akufo’s role in the story of Ted Lasso season 2, it’s possible that Richardson could continue to appear from time to time in season 3. If Sam agrees to leave his AFC Richmond team, he could still potentially come back for an episode or two in the future, offering some closure to his arc. And if that were to happen, it would be great to see Richardson return to the Apple TV+ series as well.
Another possibility, though admittedly much more of a longshot, is that Richardson’s Ted Lasso character could be testing the waters for a full-blown spinoff starring Akufo and Sam. The show’s creators have repeatedly emphasized that Ted Lasso season 3 will be the end of the show, but because of its massive popularity, it’s possibility that Apple would want to keep the universe going. A show following Sam and Akufo in their quest to assemble a super team with Raja Casablanca could be a fun follow-up to Ted Lasso, though for right now, that’s all just speculation.
