Report: Peyton Manning eyeing Bill Belichick as new media partner
Mar 6, 2024, 11:05 AM
Former Denver Broncos quarterback Peyton Manning had some great battles with legendary Patriots head coach Bill Belichick over the years.
Now, Manning reportedly wants to join teams with Belichick.
Per Andrew Marchand of The Athletic, Manning is eyeing Belichick as becoming a new media partner and working for Omaha Productions. The company, founded by Manning, does the “Manningcast” on Monday Night Football, as well as “Peyton’s Places” on ESPN and produced the hit show “Quarterback” on Netflix.
Now, adding Belichick to the fold could add to their list of big names, as well as potentially team him up with recently retired Alabama head coach Nick Saban for a “GOAT Cast,” according to Marchand.
NEWS: Peyton Manning is pursuing old rival Bill Belichick for Omaha Productions, The Athletic has learned.
Inside the Belichick TV sweepstakes. https://t.co/0ccdPVtgUx
— Andrew Marchand (@AndrewMarchand) March 6, 2024
Although Belichick hasn’t formally met with ESPN yet, he’s on Manning’s radar. According to Marchand, Belichick has met with CBS and NBC, but “has made it known he is uninterested in being part of a weekly Sunday studio show.”
That immediately complicates things, as networks want to hire analysts who show up every week and viewers can except to see at the desk.
If Belichick wants to do a more non-traditional thing, teaming up with Manning could make a lot of sense. Heck, he and Saban could commentate on 10 college / NFL games a season and call it good. You bet folks around the country would tune in for those.
With Tom Brady, Rob Gronkowski and Julian Edelman already at FOX, Marchand reports they’re not a favorite to land Belichick, considering FOX is already “Patriot-heavy.”
This will definitely be one to keep an eye on, as Manning usually gets what he wants. And while Belichick got the best of him several times when he was with the Colts, Manning and the Broncos beat “Hoodie” and the Patriots in two AFC Championship Games in four years in Denver.
As they say in the television business, stay tuned.
