The Lead
Former Broncos star quarterback Peyton Manning and his brother Eli, the former Giants quarterback, will soon be back in prime time.
The two two-time Super Bowl champions will host an alternate "Monday Night Football" broadcast that will air on ESPN2 over the next three years, ESPN announced Monday. The "MegaCast" will be broadcast for 10 games in each of the next three seasons, with appearances by past and present NFL players and celebrities.
The slate will debut with the "MNF" opener between the Ravens and Raiders and follows with the Weeks 2-3 Monday games. The rest of the schedule has yet to be determined.
"Offering multiple Monday Night Football viewing options for the next three seasons continues our innovation efforts and provides additional value for our fans," said Jimmy Pitaro, chairman of ESPN and sports content. "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."
In recent years, Peyton Manning has become more involved in television production and launched his own production studio, "Omaha Productions," in February. Its flagship show, "Peyton's Places," documents his travels around the country to shed light on some of the most important moments and people in pro football history, and it's expanding to several other sports, too, with Eli (college football), Abby Wambach (soccer), David Ortiz (baseball), Ronda Rousey (combat sports) and Vince Carter (NBA).
"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 as we built out The Places franchise and we're excited to co-create a new MegaCast format that will have something for everyone."
Below the Fold
During this downtime before training camp, many NFL players use the opportunity to spend some time in their hometowns, participating in youth football camps. For Deyon Sizer and Nolan Laufenberg, they didn't have to go far to do so — just to Colorado Springs. "It's been really cool, being home and being able to be in Colorado and play for the home team," Sizer told George Stoia of The Gazette. "The feeling's been surreal. There's so much love from everyone and just that sense of being home. It's really an indescribable feeling."
Former Broncos quarterbacks coach Greg Knapp is in critical condition following a bike accident that occurred over the weekend, 9NEWS' Mike Klis reports. We hope all Broncos fans will join us in keeping Knapp in their thoughts.
