ESPN’s “Monday Night Football” is back, and the network is preparing for its debut of a new broadcast team. Joe Buck and Troy Aikman will make their first appearance together as part of the program as ESPN looks to solidify what had previously been an oft-changing booth.
That said, Buck and Aikman’s broadcast won’t be the only way for fans to catch the game on Monday. ESPN is bringing back “Monday Night Football with Peyton and Eli” for the 2022 NFL season. The Manning brothers will reunite for their “Manningcast,” which will provide a different look at each contest, including Week 1’s Broncos vs. Seahawks game.
The Manningcast is much less formal than the traditional broadcast. It focuses on the banter among Peyton, Eli and the guests that appear to discuss the games. They are less focused on the play-by-play and are more focused on breaking down what the players are seeing and feeling as they play.
MORE: Full Manningcast schedule — How to watch “MNF with Peyton and Eli” in 2022
Of course, the guests also add unique spins to the program. Last season, there were plenty of memorable moments involving guests, but the best was when Marshawn Lynch appeared on the broadcast in Week 7. He admitted he had been drinking Hennessy and dropped plenty of profanity during the broadcast.
That episode was a wild ride all around, Eli Manning famously showed the camera the double bird during it. That action prompted three complaints to the FCC.
The Manningcast is certainly unpredictable, and it will be fun to see what crazy moments the Manning brothers and their guests can create during the first broadcast in Week 1. They have a few stars set to join them in their virtual booth.
Here’s a look at the guest list for the Week 1 airing of “Monday Night Football with Peyton and Eli” during the Broncos vs. Seahawks game.
MORE: Is the Manningcast cursed?
Manningcast guests for Week 1
- Saquon Barkley, Giants running back
- Joel McHale, actor/comedian
- Shannon Sharpe, former Broncos and Ravens tight end
Saquon Barkley
It looks like Eli Manning tapped into his Giants connections to get Barkley onto the first Manningcast in 2022.
Barkley is fresh off one of his best games in years, as he just racked up 194 scrimmage yards and a touchdown on 24 touches in New York’s 21-20 upset Week 1 win over the Titans. Barkley also caught the decisive two-point conversion in that contest and made a nasty cut to get into the end zone on what turned out to be a game-winning score.
The Mannings will likely call upon Barkley to discuss that game as well as the culture change the Giants have undergone under Brian Daboll. He doesn’t have any direct ties to the Broncos or Seahawks, so he seems like a random choice. Still, he will be a solid guest.
Joel McHale
McHale was the first guest announced as a part of the 2022 Manningcast. He will join “Monday Night Football with Peyton and Eli” for the Week 1 game between the Broncos and the Seahawks and bring some of his quick wit and humor to the broadcast.
McHale is best known for his breakout role as Jeff Winger — a lawyer who is disbarred and goes to community college after it is revealed he lied about earning a college degree — on the NBC sitcom “Community” from 2009-15. He also hosted the satirical pop culture show “The Soup” during its 11-year, 618-episode run on E! Network from 2004-15.
It makes sense that McHale would join the Manningcast for the Broncos vs. Seahawks game. He grew up in Washington and is a huge Seahawks fan. In fact, he actually was on the football team at the University of Washington for two years; he never appeared in a game and described himself as “the worst tight end in the history of the Huskies by a mile.”
.@joelmchale said he was “the worst tight end in the history of the Huskies by a mile” 😂 pic.twitter.com/xQVPcgqfS9
— 49ers on NBCS (@NBCS49ers) November 1, 2020
Shannon Sharpe
McHale will be the Seahawks-centered guest of the broadcast while Sharpe will provide more of a Broncos-centric look at the game.
Sharpe is a Hall of Fame tight end who spent 12 of his 14 NFL season with the Broncos. He helped the team win back-to-back Super Bowls with John Elway at quarterback and was a four-time All-Pro. He totaled 815 catches, 10,060 receiving yards and 62 touchdowns during his career and won three Super Bowls in total (two with Denver and one with Baltimore).
Sharpe has since moved into the media realm and used to be a staple of CBS’ NFL pregame coverage. Now, he is on FS1 and is one of the major panelists on “Undisputed,” alongside Skip Bayless. He should provide plenty of takes on the Broncos and be able to break down their championship mettle along with Peyton.
How to watch Manning brothers on Monday Night Football
- TV channel: ESPN2
- Live stream: ESPN+
“Monday Night Football with Peyton and Eli” will air on ESPN2. It will also be simulcast on ESPN’s streaming service, ESPN+, which has several subscription options. You can view them all below.
| Product | Overall Price as of Aug. 13 |
|---|---|
| ESPN+ Monthly Subscription | $6.99/month |
| ESPN+ Annual Subscription | $69.99/year |
| The Disney Bundle w/Hulu Ad-Supported | $19.99/month |
| The Disney Bundle w/Hulu No-Ads | $13.99/month |
| UFC PPV Standalone | $69.99 each |
| UFC PPV Package (UFC PPV & ESPN+ Annual) | $89.98, then $69.99/year |
| UFC PPV & The Disney Bundle | $83.98, then $13.99/month |
Monday Night Football schedule 2022
- Start time: 8:15 p.m. ET
- TV channel: ESPN
- Live stream: ESPN app
ESPN has been the home of “Monday Night Football” since 2006, but the booth saw a massive shakeup this offseason. Buck and Aikman have taken over the broadcast, moving from Fox, perhaps making the choice more difficult for viewers this year. “Monday Night Football” games can be streamed via the ESPN app.
“Monday Night Football” games featuring the Manning brothers are denoted with an asterisk.
| Week | Date | Matchup |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sept. 12 | Denver Broncos vs. Seattle Seahawks* |
| 2 | Sept. 19 | Buffalo Bills vs. Tennessee Titans (7:15 p.m. ET, ESPN) |
| 2 | Sept. 19 | Philadelphia Eagles vs. Minnesota Vikings (8:30 p.m. ET, ABC) |
| 3 | Sept. 26 | Dallas Cowboys vs. New York Giants* |
| 4 | Oct. 3 | Los Angeles Rams vs. San Francisco 49ers* |
| 5 | Oct. 10 | Las Vegas Raiders vs. Kansas City Chiefs |
| 6 | Oct. 17 | Denver Broncos vs. Los Angeles Chargers |
| 7 | Oct. 24 | Chicago Bears vs. New England Patriots* |
| 8 | Oct. 31 | Cincinnati Bengals vs. Cleveland Browns* |
| 9 | Nov. 7 | Baltimore Ravens vs. New Orleans Saints* |
| 10 | Nov. 14 | Washington Commanders vs. Philadelphia Eagles |
| 11 | Nov. 21 | San Francisco 49ers vs. Arizona Cardinals (at Mexico City) |
| 12 | Nov. 28 | Pittsburgh Steelers vs. Indianapolis Colts |
| 13 | Dec. 5 | New Orleans Saints vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers* |
| 14 | Dec. 12 | New England Patriots vs. Arizona Cardinals* |
| 15 | Dec. 19 | Los Angeles Rams vs. Green Bay Packers* |
| 16 | Dec. 26 | Los Angeles Chargers vs. Indianapolis Colts |
| 17 | Jan. 2 | Buffalo Bills vs. Cincinnati Bengals |
| WC | Jan. 16 | TBD* |