Welcome to our Champion the Creators interview series with influencers of all niches to highlight their journeys, share their insights and inspire! Today we are talking all about influencing with Zach, a viral sports star.
Meet Zach Lewis, a 23-year-old football player and content creator known for the catchphrase “That’s a dot,” which describes his perfect throws. His passion for sports fuels his content creation, which began in March 2022 and quickly blew up after being featured in several viral videos. The former college quarterback, who lives in Scottsdale, Arizona, has big on- and off-the-field dreams.
“My goal is to be that guy that people think of for social media and being a quarterback that’s always throwing dots. That’s why I still train,” he said. “I still go to the field and make sure I’m improving my game to be better because people are looking up to me expecting a certain level of performance. So I’m gonna maintain that and show I found a way to keep playing football without actually being on a team. So I think that’s pretty cool.”
His content creation career began when he started to train in hopes of getting picked up by a Division I school. Being featured in videos by mega YouTubers AJ Greene and Deestroying helped him gain notoriety. His own videos were also an instant hit on TikTok, where he now has almost 139K followers.
“My very first TikTok post had over half a million views and got reposted by ESPN and a bunch of other sports pages. I’m showing the world my football ability.”
Zach first picked up a football at age 7. It’s his passion. Now, his content is a way to show his skills as a football player.
“I’m gonna go show the world how good I am at playing quarterback. If I was out there playing Division I, I’ll reach 30,000, 40,000, or 60,000 people at a time, and now I’m reaching over a hundred thousand people a day and kids are getting inspired by what I’m doing.”
Zach’s catchphrase took off when YouTuber AJ Greene created a meme of “That’s a dot” that he consistently used in his videos.
“People liked it a lot. And so then when AJ would show somebody throw a good pass, he would put that meme. If someone would throw a good pass and then my clip would go in right after that — that’s a dot,” Zach said.
Zach wants his followers to get value out of his content, whether it’s educational, relatable or entertaining.
“I think of myself as not just the influencer. I’m a content creator,” he said. “You gotta keep giving them value.
He experiments with various content styles like trends and relatable moments, all tied to football — like his Steph Curry basketball and football crossover.
His content has been reposted by major sports outlets like ESPN, Bleacher Report and House of Highlights. But even before being a content creator, he went viral for an amazing pass — to himself.
“My sophomore year of high school, I threw a touchdown pass to myself, and it was posted by Bleacher Report and it went crazy,” he said. “And it was on SportsCenter on ESPN, too.”
Zach grew his Instagram followers from 4K to 42K in a short time by being consistent.
“The main thing is the consistency because that’s the only way you’re gonna build something.”
He also looks at what is doing well for him and learns from it.
“When I’m looking at social media, it’s not really for fun for me. I’m analyzing and just thinking, ‘What about this video is doing well?’ And then I take pieces and make it into my own.”
Most importantly, Zach values his connection to his followers.
“I feel like I really connect with my audience, and I’m proud that I always try to reply to DMs of fans.”
“I always have time for them.”
This interview has been edited for clarity and length.
Marette Flora is IZEA’s Content Manager. She writes and edits content about influencer marketing and all the latest #TeamIZEA happenings. When she is not at work, she can be found writing her personal blog, crafting personalized gifts or exploring Chicago where she lives with her husband, two daughters, dog and plants.
