So far this season, ESPN has featured an alternative broadcast for Monday Night Football hosted by Eli and Peyton Manning. These broadcasts, styled similarly to a podcast or livestream,  have provided plenty of engaging content and a lineup of marquee guest interviews, which has made Monday Night Football on the Manning broadcast a must watch. 

Unlike a normal sports broadcast setup where a fan only hears the commentators narrate the game, this stream has video boxes on the side of the screen that show each of the Manning brothers and the various guests that come on the show. Taking full advantage of this setup, one of the brothers (usually Peyton), is often seen pulling out a whiteboard to draw up a play or demonstrate mechanics with a full body camera angle. The additional video of the commentators leads to a much more engaging and informative view that allows fans to get an inside view of the game. One of the main features of the show is that rather than only narrating the action, the broadcast is more of a conversation about the game. The result is a broadcast that feels more like watching the game with a pair of football genius friends. 

With their combined 34 seasons of experience, the Mannings certainly have plenty of insight and not only about the quarterback position. Eli Manning mentioned in an interview with Colin Cowherd of Fox Sports, “When you play quarterback you don’t just know the quarterback position, you know what the receivers and offensive line are supposed to do, you know every defense where they are supposed to be lined up and the rules and coverages.” The expert analysis and conversation by the Mannings has been paired with an exciting lineup of guest interviews from many different perspectives. Current NFL players such as Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce, Seahawks quarterback Russel Wilson, and Buccaneers tight end Rob Gronkowski have provided interesting insights into their experience playing in the NFL on the broadcast. Gronkowski made the hilarious and on-brand revelation that he skips watching film and practice on Friday, instead relying on Tom Brady to tell him what to do. Another interview featured legendary University of Alabama head coach Nick Saban, who made a pitch for Peyton and Eli’s nephew Arch Manning—a current five-star high school quarterback—to come to Alabama. Even Lebron James joined and talked about his high school football career and an offer he received to play as tight end for the Cowboys. 

Each and every week the Manning broadcast fails to disappoint with exciting conversation and revealing interviews. Unfortunately, the Manning’s contract with ESPN only allows for ten games a year, making each and every game covered by them must-see TV. The Mannings’ next broadcasts are scheduled for week seven’s matchup between the Seattle Seahawks and New Orleans Saints and week eight’s showdown between the Kansas City Chiefs and New York Giants.