ESPN extends ManningCast through 2024 season
The ManningCast was undoubtedly a smash hit in its first season.
This week, Disney CEO Bob Chapek announced that ESPN has extended its contract with Peyton and Eli Manning, meaning the ESPN2 alternative 'Monday Night Football' broadcast, 'Monday Night Football with Peyton and Eli', will continue through the 2024 NFL season.
In addition to the extension to their current deal, Peyton's Omaha Productions will also produce alternative presentations for UFC, college football and golf in collaboration with ESPN.
"I've always loved talking football with my brother, and it was even more fun to do it while watching ESPN's 'Monday Night Football'. Eli and I are excited to sign on for another season, and the entire Omaha team is looking forward to producing MegaCasts that celebrate other sports," Peyton Manning said in a statement.
In its first season of existence, the ManningCast averaged 1.6 million viewers over nine games and eclipsed 1.9 million viewers on three separate occasions.
"We couldn't be more proud of Monday Night Football with Peyton and Eli and the partnership we've developed with Peyton, Eli and the team at Omaha Productions," said Jimmy Pitaro, Chairman, ESPN and Sports Content. "This new agreement allows us to deepen our relationship and explore original concepts to spread that magic to other sports and events. Ultimately, this will help grow our audience by providing fans with even more creative options that they crave."
Check out the videos below to view some of the top moments from the first season of the ManningCast.
Former Giant B.J. Hill excited to play in Super Bowl
B.J. Hill has moved to a new city but has remained close to his old gang.
The fourth-year defensive tackle was traded just prior to the season by the Giants to the Cincinnati Bengals. While the Giants won just four games, the Bengals captured the AFC North title and won three postseason contests to advance to Super Bowl LVI Sunday against the Los Angeles Rams in SoFi Stadium.
Though he's thrilled by his team's success, Hill misses his friends in New Jersey, notably former linemates Dexter Lawrence and Leonard Williams. The group's members have remained close to each other and those still wearing Giants blue are happy for Hill.
"They hit me up and tell me congratulations all the time," Hill said. "Each week they hit me up. I talk to my guy Dexter every other day. That's my guy. Leo, he hits me up. A.J. (defensive lineman Austin Johnson), (running back) Saquon (Barkley), just different people, (wide receiver) Darius Slayton. They just texted me and said congratulations. (Cornerback) James Bradberry hits me up. They just tell me congratulations, good job, just keep going and bring it home. They're supporting me and I'm thankful for that."
The depth on the defensive line enabled the Giants to send Hill to Cincinnati on Aug. 30 for center Billy Price, who started 15 games.
Hill, who has never missed a game in his career, started two regular-season games and two playoff games. He finished third on the team with 5.5 sacks and totaled 50 tackles (29 solo). Hill made one of the most significant plays of the postseason when he tipped and then intercepted a Patrick Mahomes pass late in the third quarter of the AFC Championship Game in Kansas City. The takeaway led to Joe Burrow's two-yard touchdown pass to Ja'Marr Chase, the final step in erasing an 18-point deficit and tying the game at 21-21. Cincinnati completed its upset 27-24 victory in overtime.
NFL Media analyst Daniel Jeremiah released his final edition of the top 50 prospects in the 2022 NFL Draft.
No. 50 Logan Hall, DT, Houston
No. 49 David Ojabo, EDGE, Michigan
No. 48 Sam Howell, QB, North Carolina
No. 47 Kaiir Elam, CB, Florida
No. 46 Christian Watson, WR, North Dakota State
No. 45 Skyy Moore, WR, Western Michigan
No. 44 Nik Bonitto, EDGE, Oklahoma
No. 43 Bernhard Raimann, OT, Central Michigan
No. 42 Tyler Smith, OT, Tulsa
No. 41 Jalen Pitre, S, Baylor
No. 40 Matt Corral, QB, Mississippi
No. 39 Lewis Cine, S, Georgia
No. 38 Christian Harris, LB, Alabama
No. 37 Travis Jones, DT, Connecticut
No. 36 Kenyon Green, G, Texas A&M
No. 35 Kyler Gordon, CB, Washington
No. 34 Arnold Ebiketie, EDGE, Penn State
No. 33 Kenneth Walker III, RB, Michigan State
No. 32 Andrew Booth Jr., CB, Clemson
No. 31 Boye Mafe, EDGE, Minnesota
No. 30 Zion Johnson, IOL, Boston College
No. 29 Quay Walker, LB, Georgia
No. 28 Breece Hall, RB, Iowa State
No. 27 Tyler Linderbaum, IOL, Iowa
No. 26 Malik Willis, QB, Liberty
No. 25 Jahan Dotson, WR, Penn State
No. 24 Kenny Pickett, QB, Pittsburgh
No. 23 Devonte Wyatt, DT, Georgia
No. 22 Charles Cross, OT, Mississippi State
No. 21 Dax Hill, S, Michigan
No. 20 Trevor Penning, OT, Northern Iowa
No. 19 Treylon Burks, WR, Arkansas
No. 18 George Karlaftis, EDGE, Purdue
No. 17 Nakobe Dean, LB, Georgia
No. 16 Jameson Williams, WR, Alabama
No. 15 Chris Olave, WR, Ohio State
No. 14 Trent McDuffie, CB, Washington
No. 13 Devin Lloyd, LB, Utah
No. 12 Derek Stingley Jr., CB, LSU
No. 11 Jordan Davis, DT, Georgia
No. 10 Kayvon Thibodeaux, EDGE, Oregon
No. 9 Jermaine Johnson II, EDGE, Florida State
No. 8 Evan Neal, OT, Alabama
No. 7 Drake London, WR, Southern California
No. 6 Travon Walker, EDGE, Georgia
No. 5 Kyle Hamilton, S, Notre Dame
No. 4 Garrett Wilson, WR, Ohio State
No. 3 Ickey Ekwonu, OT, North Carolina State
No. 2 Ahmad "Sauce" Gardner, CB, Cincinnati
No. 1 Aidan Hutchinson, EDGE, Michigan
Super Bowl XLVI Champions: Where Are They Now? Spencer Paysinger
Giants.com heads out to Southern California to catch up with former Giants linebacker and Super Bowl Champion Spencer Paysinger in the video below.
