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Earlier in the year, ESPN and Omaha Productions officially reached a nine-year media rights extension that expands the partnership between both companies. As a part of this deal, the award-winning alternate broadcast, Monday Night Football with Peyton and Eli, was officially slated for renewal, and both parties committed to collaborating on developing new content across several verticals of distribution. Over the past three years in which the ManningCast had been on the air, the presentation had gone through various iterations and introduced new elements, such as state-of-the-art technology, special editions for NFL playoff games and doubleheaders, and elaborate schedule reveal videos featuring celebrities from sports, pop culture and entertainment.
Omaha Productions, which was co-founded by Hall of Fame quarterback Peyton Manning and television executive Jamie Horowitz in 2020, has worked with sports media brands to create compelling and entertaining content accessible through multiple consumption platforms. Manning is a front-facing personality on select ventures and works with his brother, Eli, on editions of the ManningCast.
During the NFL offseason, the company agreed to a deal with eight-time Super Bowl champion Bill Belichick to have him appear on the show for the first half of games. Yet the conversations between Belichick and Peyton Manning went beyond this venture and ultimately materialized into a new offering that has established itself as a distinguished source of strategic insights and analytical expertise.
“When we were recruiting Coach Belichick in the offseason, we discussed The Breakdown show idea, and what appealed to both of us was developing something that would educate fans about football in a deeper way than usual,” Manning said. “Coach Belichick is a brilliant Coach and we have received such great feedback on the show from players, former players, and coaches at all levels from high school to the pros.”
Accompanying forthcoming ManningCast episodes concurrent with the traditional presentation of Monday Night Football on ESPN, The Breakdown grants viewers a lens into the nuances of football from the viewpoints of Manning and Belichick. As accomplished professionals in their own right, the former quarterback and head coach dissect game film in a manner akin to NFL team meetings. The multiplatform series, which is produced with NFL Films, divulges some of the observations that are made as franchises scheme formations, routes and alignments to defeat the opponent.
“We try to hit a few different themes on each side of the ball in each episode, so it probably resembles more of an overview of the matchup that a Head Coach or Coordinator would do alongside their Quarterback,” Belichick said. “Peyton, of course, brings the perspective of a Hall of Fame player [while] I try to give fans the view from a Head Coach and Defensive Coordinator perspective.”
New episodes of The Breakdown premiere through ESPN+ on Fridays leading up to upcoming editions of the ManningCast. Additionally, the program also airs on ESPN2 several times before the featured game on Monday Night Football. This show adds to an expansive programming lineup on ESPN networks and ABC that supplements the ongoing NFL media rights deal with The Walt Disney Company. The 10-year pact contains flex scheduling ability from Week 12 to Week 17, an annual divisional round game and Super Bowl broadcasts to conclude the 2026 and 2030 seasons.
“Peyton and Belichick together, discussing football – there is no convincing needed when that is on the table,” said Burke Magnus, president of content at ESPN. “Great part of our relationship with Omaha Productions is we both see eye-to-eye in pushing for impactful and entertaining approaches to educate and entertain fans. An added benefit is the brand extension the show provides to Monday Night Football and Monday Night with Peyton and Eli.”
Throughout their NFL careers, Manning and Belichick were regarded as savants in their profession and amassed the metrics to back it up. As a quarterback for the Indianapolis Colts and Denver Broncos, Manning won two Super Bowl championships and five MVP awards while earning 14 Pro Bowl selections. Furthermore, he retired as the all-time leader in passing yards (71,940), game-winning drives (54) and touchdown passes (539). Even though they were never in the same organization, Manning has profound respect for Belichick, who won six Super Bowl championships over his 24-year tenure as the head coach of the New England Patriots.
“Bill has one of the greatest football minds ever,” Manning said. “I faced him 24 times in my playing career. Some games he won, some games we won, but there was always mutual respect and admiration. I didn’t really get to know him personally until he coached me in the Pro Bowl in 2007. He loves football, he cares about the game and his insights are incredible. I think that’s what fans see when they watch The Breakdown and why it has been so successful.”
In games where Manning faced Belichick, he passed for an average of 267.5 yards per game and eliminated the Patriots from the playoffs three times. Although Manning compiled a winning record in their postseason play, Belichick won 10 out of their 15 regular-season contests when he was the head coach of New England. Fifteen of the 24 overall matchups, including when Belichick was defensive coordinator of the New York Jets, ended as one-score games and were subsequent points of discussion across sports media. Nearly a decade later, Manning and Belichick are on the other side of the equation and apply their knowledge to draw inferences with substantial credibility.
“Peyton and I had a lot of player/coach battles,” Belichick said. “Trying to think a step ahead of Peyton was always a big challenge.”
When Belichick and the Patriots mutually agreed to part ways following last season, he departed the organization 15 victories away from breaking Don Shula’s record as the winningest coach in league history. As rumors continue to percolate about a potential return to the sidelines, Belichick has been working within the sports media industry throughout the NFL season presenting his discerning proficiency and tactical wherewithal.
Outside of his appearances on ESPN platforms, which also includes an agreement for a weekly interview on The Pat McAfee Show, he co-hosts the Let’s Go! podcast through SiriusXM, stars and co-produces Coach with Underdog Fantasy. Moreover, he is an analyst on Inside the NFL, which is in its second season airing on The CW.
Belichick films editions of The Breakdown from the NFL Films studios and works with Manning remotely, who co-hosts the program from the same location in which he participates in Monday Night Football with Peyton and Eli. Rather than sifting through tape from around the league, the show focuses on the two teams that are set to be featured on Monday Night Football a few days later. In fact, having the episodes center on the ensuing matchup was a subject of the early discussions surrounding the ESPN+ original series.
“Bill and I have tried to make it more of a teaching tape, focused on big-picture football strategy,” Manning said. “Where else can you talk in depth to Bill Belichick, an eight-time Super Bowl Champ, about his approach to blitzing and then talk through exactly how his Patriots used it against us in the years we played them[?]”
While consumers are not generally afforded access to internal team meetings during the season, mass media conglomerates employ former players and experts as analysts who can diminish ambiguity and prognosticate gameplans. On top of that, broadcasters often converse with players, coaches and other key personnel before games, providing background information off which they can accurately contextualize occurrences, formulate opinions and deliver commentary. Blending elements of synthesis, inquiry and repartee, Manning and Belichick authentically depict their mindsets and engage in incisive discussions.
“Peyton and I do our best to bring the viewers inside a film session,” Belichick explained, “and [we] try to show what is working, what is not working, and why.”
Manning and Belichick review game footage and highlight the strengths and weaknesses of teams on the field, providing a benchmark for their real-time analysis amid the matchup. Even though the ManningCast welcomes guests who sometimes discuss ancillary topics not directly related to the game, an overarching theme of these eclectic interviews is the palpable display of interest and revelry in football. The sport continues to function as the cornerstone of both programs; however, the degree to which they penetrate the full breadth of the action varies between these presentations.
“The Breakdown gives us more of a chance to offer some instruction or teaching moments,” Manning said. “While we’re trying to entertain with both shows, The Breakdown is that show that really goes deeper on football. It’s a football show for avid football fans.”
Over its five years in business, Omaha Productions has worked to become a leader in creating distinctive content that cuts through the clutter. From the creation of documentaries chronicling the lives of professional athletes to unveiling divisions dedicated to branded material and audio, the enterprise aims to serve the industry and enthrall the audience.
The debut of the ManningCast can be surmised as a watershed moment in sports media that disclosed the ingenuity of recurring alternate broadcasts combining shrewd discourse, authentic personality and external contributions. Rather than functioning as purely ancillary content though, The Breakdown has concurrently set itself apart as a distinctive property and archetype to be considered for future NFL programming.
Manning recognizes the value of hosting the show alongside Belichick, an accomplished coach, general manager and coordinator who was tasked with game-planning for a preponderance of the active personnel and teams around the league. Belichick’s path to winning Super Bowl LIII with the Patriots involved facing Anthony Lynn, Andy Reid and Sean McVay, all of whom are still coaching and/or coordinating for NFL franchises.
Yet Belichick, who gained a reputation of being reserved in his press conferences as a coach, has exhibited his passion for football in the media setting. At the same time, he has been able to convey his vast logic by translating film-room parlance into straightforward, clear vernacular.
“No matter if it’s The Breakdown or the ManningCast, if you’re listening to Bill Belichick talk about football, you’re going to get smarter,” Manning said. “He’s witty and has a dry sense of humor, and it’s fun to see him in this new media role.”
The program utilizes visual elements to illustrate what is being discussed, one of which includes clips from previous matchups. Manning and Belichick will draw parallels to instances in their playing careers that are applicable to a given situation, evincing senses of nostalgia and outlining the historical links therein. On an earlier episode of the show, Belichick broke down cornerback Malcolm Butler’s interception in Super Bowl XLIX that secured the Patriots’ victory. Within the examination, he reviewed the defensive scheme and detailed how it was successfully carried out.
“We try to pull a few plays from the NFL Films Vault every week while also breaking down what’s going to win or lose this game for the two teams,” Belichick said, “so it’s supposed to be fun, educational and give you a different perspective on the matchup than you might normally get during the week.”
Rather than solely talking about the intricacies of the game, Manning and Belichick have diagrammed concepts and schemes using a telestrator. Interspersed during the 30-minute episode, the duo is able to delineate coverage assignments, sketch routes and highlight other signals that may be concealed to those who did not play professional football. Explaining what is taking place with visual aids powered by firsthand knowledge and advanced technology can assist viewers in better grasping the essence of conversation and the minute details that can decide between a touchdown or a turnover.
“Peyton and I want to educate the viewers – the telestrator is a good way for both of us to give our perspective on the same play,” Belichick said. “A quarterback/head coach conversation about preparing for a game, and the execution of play, is how I took my football knowledge to the highest level. We will show our viewers the fundamentals and details of the plays we break down.”
In addition to the game audience, The Breakdown is said to have also become appointment viewing for NFL coaches and quarterbacks. There are even rumors of NFL teams implementing clips from the show into film studies of their own, exhibiting an appreciation and respect for the duo and the opinions given on the program.
“One thing I love about the show is hearing from coaches who have watched it and used it with their players,” Manning said. “We hope to make it smart football instruction, where the viewer can learn something new.”
Manning and Belichick simplify complex elements of the game within their analysis as they strive to write and effectuate a winning formula on The Breakdown. Omaha Productions and ESPN, working in tandem with NFL Films, have provided the resources and materials necessary for the show to air. Combined with its presentation, the program is ultimately powered by an inexorable curiosity to decipher plays and construct an effective course of action ahead of the opening kickoff.
“He has a great offensive mind,” Belichick said of Manning. “I love the opportunity to be his teammate on Breakdown – I love talking football and learning from Peyton – joining him on Breakdown was a no brainer.”
Derek Futterman is an associate editor and sports media reporter for Barrett Media. Additionally, he has worked in a broad array of roles in multimedia production – including on live game broadcasts and audiovisual platforms – and in digital content development and management. He previously interned for Paramount within Showtime Networks, wrote for the Long Island Herald and served as lead sports producer at NY2C. To get in touch, email Derek@BarrettMedia.com or find him on X @derekfutterman.
