The first look at 2026's TV ratings have proved one thing, but also cast doubt over the future of Manningcast.
In total, 23.2 million people tuned into Monday Night's matchup between the Kansas City Chiefs and Denver Broncos.
Returning franchise quarterback Patrick Mahomes, playing nine months after surgery on a torn ACL and LCL, was impressive, leading Kansas City to a 31-10 victory over the Broncos.
It was the most-viewed Week 1 MNF game ever, and the third most watched since ESPN took the slot in 2006.
It's a monumental year for the network, who recently purchased NFL Network for $3bn dollars. and are preparing to broadcast their first Super Bowl.
However, the numbers from opening week weren't all positive.
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Manningcast ratings continue steady decline
Per The Athletic's Andrew Marchand, Manningcast alternate broadcast of the Chiefs and Broncos brought in just 705,000 viewers, roughly 3 percent of the total numbers.
Manningcast, hosted by NFL greats Eli and Payton on ESPN2, made its debut in 2021 and has been alt-casting select games ever since.
Numbers have unfortunately been trending down in recent years, with the show failing to clear one million viewers at any point in 2025.
This included ESPN's Wild Card broadcast of the Houston Texans - Pittsburgh Steelers, which saw C.J. Stroud win his first playoff game.
Payton's media company, Omaha Productions, has a partnership with ESPN that runs through the 2034 season.
The downtrend in numbers is not ideal for the Manning's, or ESPN. Fans have a particular request that could make them want to tune in.
Fans have one request to improve Manningcast - remove interviews
"I would watch the version of the two of them diagnosing plays. I just wish the guest interviews would happen at halftime only," one fan said.
"Please dump the interviews. The Manning cast is must see TV when it's just them watching the game and talking," a second added.
"I turned it on and saw them yapping with a guest while the game was going on, turned it off," a third commented.
"The guest interviews going on becomes too overstimulating, I would watch if they didn't do that in the middle of the game," a fourth said.
"They lost fans when they started bringing on guests. The Mannings talking ball, all day. Dumb interviews with random celebs, no thanks," a fifth concluded.
When two of the greatest minds in NFL history are on screen, viewers want X's and O's, live reaction, and unfiltered football strategy, rather than interviews with random celebrities.
If ESPN and Omaha Productions want to halt the steady downward trend before the show loses its spark entirely, the solution is simple.
Let Peyton and Eli do what they do best, and get back to pure, unfiltered football, particularly with the network eyeing a similar alt-cast role for Pat McAfee.
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