Ranking the 10 Best Manning Cast Guests During Eli and Peyton Manning’s First Season – Sportscasting

The first season of the Manning Cast is now in the books. The innovative alternateMonday Night Footballbroadcast on ESPN2, hosted by former NFL quarterbacks Peyton Manning and Eli Manning, finished its inaugural run with the first-ever Monday night Wild Card game. Now, well look back at the season that was and rank the 10 best Manning Cast guests from the shows maiden voyage.

When Peyton Mannings production company, Omaha Productions, announced its partnership with ESPN for a new type of football broadcast, no one knew what to expect. What followed was an exciting, hilarious, awkward, fascinating, and sometimes profane new football-watching experience.

Peyton and Elis brotherly relationship was at the shows core. However, the people who truly made the venture special were the guests. Some guests were good, some guests were, lets say, less than good, and a few were simply superb.

Here are all the guests who appeared on the Manning Cast this season:

It was an illustrious group of guests in season one of the Manning Cast, a virtual whos who of NFL players, ex-players, and celebrity fans. Some stood out above the rest, though, so here are the 10 best Manning Cast guests on the 2021 season.

The Manning Cast is, at its core, two ex-athletes talking football in a more entertaining way than has ever been done before. While the concept of the Manning Cast specifically is novel, the idea an ex-player can revolutionize a television format by sheer force of personality, and talking about the game in a way fans have never heard isnt new.

Sir Charles Barkley did that for NBA pregame shows. So, who better to start the first-ever Manning Cast?

The Round Mound of Rebound didnt disappoint either. Rocking aCarl Nassib Raiders jersey,Barkley was the perfect choice to kick off a bold new format.

Barkley came in hot, talking about his NFL gambling, crushing his high schools football coaches, and calling out modern-day NBA players for complaining about fouls. And with that, the Manning Cast was up and running.

What makes someone one of the best Manning Cast guests? Two things that many of the best guests had in common this season are A) they have a previous relationship with Peyton and/or Eli or, B) they have television/broadcast experience.

Michael Strahan delivers on both of those qualifications.

Strahan was an NFL superstar in the same era as Peyton Manning and was teammates (and won a Super Bowl with) Eli Manning. Listening to the three of them talk was truly like sitting with three of the most fun, knowledgeable buddies you could ask for, watching football at a bar.

The running highlight of the segment was Strahan and Eli venting their frustration about how far their beloved New York Giants have fallen.

Aaron Rodgers delivered everything weve come to expect from Aaron Rodgers in the last year during his Manning Cast appearance.

The controversial QB told a lovely story about howhe and Pat McAfee became friends, talked football with the Mannings on a level that no mortal human can understand, andsent the internet into a frenzyby shouting out Ayn Rands Atlas Shrugged on his bookshelf.

Love Rodgers or hate him, when hes talking on TV, its hard to look away. The Mannings did a good job harnessing that vibe.

Phil Mickelson, as Pat McAfeetweetedduring the golfers appearance, understands the assignment of appearing on the Manning Cast. During the broadcast, it seemed like his sole goal was to roast Peyton and Eli, and he accomplished that goal.

Whether it was telling the two QBs that the Manning Cast Curse is absolutely a real thing or breaking down Elis cute little golf swing, Mickelson showed off his goofy, hilarious, trash-talking person that hes cultivated in recent years on social media and duringThe Match.

While the Manning Cast overall makes you want to watch football with Peyton and Eli, Mickelsons appearance demonstrated there is likely no person on earth who would be more fun to play 18 with than the six-time Major winner.

Dwayne The Rock Johnson is quite simply the most pleasant, positive, and enjoyable person in all of sports entertainment.

The wrestler/actor/businessman/likely future President of the United States was just a fantastic guest to spend a half-an-hour with. He told great stories about his football days at the University of Miami and gave an incredible motivational speech to the floundering Arizona Cardinals (who definitely didnt listen).

One of the most uplifting parts of his appearance was Johnson explaining how he bought the XFL to give more football players a chance to achieve the (seemingly) one and only dream that didnt come true in his life: making the NFL.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers tight end Rob Gronkowski has no filter, making him the perfect person for a live TV broadcast and one of the best Manning Cast guests.

Gronkbragged about not practicingon Fridays because he Red Zone Robby G, baby and doesnt need to practice catching touchdowns. He also told the notoriously studious Peyton and Eli that he doesnt really watch film. He simply asks his longtime QB Tom Brady who to run by, then runs by them.

Gronkowski eventually walked back his film comments after getting a talking-to from head coach Bruce Arians. However, Manning Cast viewers now know the truth. Gronk runs. Gronk catches. Gronk scores. Gronk spikes. Thats all there is to it, and its fantastic.

As much as youd love to share a beer or a cocktail with many of the stars on this list, Snoop Dogg once again cemented his longtime, well-earned reputation as the one person in the world who would be the most fun to share a wellsomething elsewith.

Snoop D-O-Double G was cool, funny, and both passionate and knowledgeable about the game of football. His connection to the game goes way back. He even runs a youth football league in the LA area that has produced NFL players, like Juju Smith-Schuster.

Also, Snoop gifting the buttoned-up Eli Manning a Death Row Records chain for being so hip hop for his birthday and the producers photoshopping the rapper into a Manning Family photo as the fourth Manning brother were two of the highlights of the entire season.

Former NFL running back Marshawn Lynch was one of the best Manning Cast guests because he was the perfect example of a former player who decided to just get loose and hang out with the Mannings on a Monday night.

The Beast Quake runner told the Mannings he took three shots of Hennessy before his appearance. I took one for me, I took one for big bruh, and I got one for little bruh, Lynch said. That may explain why he dropped three s**** and one f*** during his live TV appearance.

It. Was. Awesome.

One of the only things that could make the Manning Cast better (and slightly less awkward) is if the broadcast had a host to play traffic cop and make the show flow a little more smoothly. The problem is, where can you find an ex-NFL player who knows Peyton and Eli and has bona fide hosting credentials?

Enter Pat McAfee.

The sports talk host would be a perfect addition to the broadcast next season if the Mannings want to enhance the show. In his appearance, McAfee led the conversation when needed but still let the brothers shine. He also told hisamazing Red 18 story, which added to the broadcast.

Heres hoping the 2022 Manning Cast cast is Peyton, Eli, and Pat.

The Manning Cast is all about NFL fans getting to spend time with two legendary QBs talking about life and football. Whats the only thing better than that?

Three legendary QBs.

Listening in on a conversation between, arguably, the two best signal-callers in NFL history and the one QB to get the best of the GOAT twice was quite a treat. Watching Brady on the Manning Cast was truly a football fans dream.

The three quarterbacks with 11 Super Bowls between them talked football, busted each others chops, and had what certainly looked like a great time together. It was a true joy for fans and the pinnacle of what the Manning Cast can be, which is why Brady was the best Manning Cast guest this season.

If Pat McAfee doesnt join the Manning bros next season, maybe they will add Brady to the broadcast when he finally retires, just in time for the 20th anniversary of the Manning Cast in 2041.

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Ranking the 10 Best Manning Cast Guests During Eli and Peyton Manning's First Season - Sportscasting