ESPN’s Manning Cast proved immensely popular in its debut season, offering a fun alternative to the network’s traditional Monday Night Football broadcast with celebrities galore, vintage cars and entertaining anecdotes from guests like Snoop Dogg, Dwayne Johnson and Charles Barkley. Not only did Bristol give a glimpse of where the broadcast industry might be heading (the second-screen model is gaining significant traction), but the Manning Cast also served as a perfect showcase for brothers Peyton and Eli Manning.
Eli was undoubtedly the show’s breakout star, displaying an easy chemistry with his older brother while pleasantly surprising audiences with his dry sense of humor. In one of the show’s signature moments, the former Giants quarterback hilariously reenacted a hostile encounter with a young Eagles fan who flipped him off. The clip quickly went viral, turning Manning into an overnight meme. The two-time Super Bowl MVP would later apologize (three viewers complained to the FCC about it), though, if anything, the "double bird" gesture did more to help his brand than hurt it.
Manning, along with half the league, made the pilgrimage to Los Angeles for this week’s Super Bowl, making the media rounds to promote Stella Artois, among other endorsements. When Manning encountered a fan wearing a “Double Bird” Giants jersey, he knew a picture was in order.
Despite interest from competing networks including streaming giant Amazon Prime, the Mannings aren’t going anywhere with ESPN recently extending the Manning Cast through 2024.
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