Peyton Manning, Eli Manning to headline alternate Monday Night Football broadcast
Former NFL quarterbacks Peyton Manning and Eli Manning will take part in an alternate Monday Night Football broadcast over the next three seasons, ESPN announced Monday.
The Monday Night Football MegaCast will air on ESPN2 for 10 games in each of the next three seasons and will include current and former NFL players and celebrities joining the Manning brothers on the broadcast. A host has not been named.
"This partnership with ESPN and The Walt Disney Company reflects an ongoing, shared commitment to offering fans fun, innovative content," Peyton Manning said in a statement. "ESPN+ has been a terrific partner for Omaha Productions [Manning's production company] as we built out The Places franchise and we're excited to co-create a new MegaCast format that will have something for everyone."
The MegaCast will debut the first three weeks of the 2021 season, including the Sept. 13 Monday Night Football opener between theBaltimore Ravens and Las Vegas Raiders,with the remaining seven weeks to be announced.
Steve Levy, Brian Griese, Louis Riddick, Lisa Salters and John Parry will remain on the traditional Monday Night Football broadcast for the second straight season in 2021.
"Offering multiple Monday Night Football viewing options for the next three seasons continues our innovation efforts and provides additional value for our fans," Jimmy Pitaro, chairman of ESPN and sports content, said in a statement. "Peyton and Eli will bring a different approach, delving into conversation about broader, big-picture topics while also honing in on the game, much like fans do when watching with their family and friends."
The Mannings each won two Super Bowls during their careers. Peyton Manning, who retired in 2016, is set for induction into the Pro Football Hall of Fame next month. Eli Manning retired in 2019 after 16 seasons with the New York Giants.
Peyton Manning's working history with ESPN includes his Peyton's Places series on ESPN+, which is in its third season. The franchise has expanded to include Places series involving Abby Wambach (soccer), Eli Manning (college football), David Ortiz (MLB), Ronda Rousey (combat sports) and Vince Carter (NBA). Wambach's series premiered this month.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
