As a brand new installment to the NFL viewing expertise, ESPN put collectively a brand new rendition of Monday Evening Soccer for followers to get enthusiastic about. In Week 15 between the Dallas Cowboys and Cincinnati Bengals, there was a Simpsons theme, because the Manning brothers, Peyton and Eli, bought so as to add Homer Simpson to their rising record of friends to seem on the Manningcast.
With Simpsons-like animation powering this week’s Manningcast, Peyton and Eli had Homer on earlier than kickoff, speaking all issues soccer with Springfield’s best. And regardless that Homer did not seem to have the strongest grip on which NFL staff he supported, that did not appear to matter a lot to followers watching the printed at house.
Whereas seeing the Manning brothers animated like characters from The Simpsons was jarring, this is not the primary time the NFL created a distinct broadcast to enchantment to totally different demographics nationwide.
And primarily based on the net response to The Simpsons broadcast, it probably will not be their final NFL crossover.
NFL options Simpsons-themed Manningcast for MNF between Cowboys, Bengals
When the Manningcast was launched, it appeared like a option to get non-football followers to tune into NFL video games. And with the Simpsons-themed broadcast in Week 15 of the 2024 season, that is changing into a stronger perception.
Video games nonetheless get broadcast on their regular channel, however some weeks additionally function a Manningcast that tends to be centered extra on leisure than football-watching.
Peyton and Eli Manning have a variety of friends on this system, and this week, the Manningcast bought a Simpsons makeover. Not solely did the Manning brothers have a brand new look, however all the broadcast was Simpsonified.
Whereas the sport featured the Dallas Cowboys and Cincinnati Bengals— two groups that struggled all through the 2024 season— social media could not get sufficient of the brand new Manningcast look.
Although many are content material with the present Simpsons-themed broadcast, there’s already at the very least one new animated broadcast being pitched for the subsequent NFL collaboration, per Barstool Sports activities character Liam Blutman on X.
“No one requested for Simpsons Soccer. No one requested for Rugrats Soccer. No one requested for Massive Metropolis Greens Hockey,” Blutman wrote. “I’m asking for a Hey Arnold! Soccer sport. Make it occur.”
So, whereas Blutman’s eyes are ready for the Hey Arnold! and NFL collab, listed below are among the finest social media reactions to The Simpsons broadcast:
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Now, whereas some followers choose to observe the sport as is, a vocal group of individuals on social media cherished the brand new Monday Evening Soccer broadcast.
Whether or not or not it should stick that is for ESPN and the Mannings to determine. However, with the Manningcast already being a bit much less severe than the buttoned-up broadcasts, their Simpsons-themed trial appeared to have gone easily for Peyton and Eli Manning.