For the past six NFL seasons, ESPN and Omaha Productions have teamed up to present an alternative way to enjoy select Monday Night Football games. The concept of the ManningCast was simple. Provide an innovative viewing experience that transformed traditional game coverage into an entertaining but educational tool featuring two of football’s most recognizable personalities, Peyton and Eli Manning.
Each season, the collaboration has added a new wrinkle to the presentation. From featured guest interviews to an augmented reality table and interactive whiteboards. At the core of the show are two Super Bowl champion quarterbacks walking the audience through the action, teaching viewers about the game from their couch in real time. This season, the series introduced a new feature called ManningMode. A tool developed by Adrenaline that utilizes artificial intelligence to provide real-time data, advanced analytics and predictive insights.
“Peyton and Eli are doing great analysis throughout the game. We were looking for a tool that would harness that and elevate that for the viewers,” said Sam Pepper, executive producer at Omaha Productions. “We were looking at technology being used on MNF Playbook and how we could turn that into a tool that would benefit the ManningCast and our viewers.”
The History Behind ManningMode
In July 2025, Phil Orlins, vice president of production technology and innovation, says the NFL asked him to connect with former Dallas Cowboys linebacker Sean Lee and his business partner at Adrenaline. A company that develops fast and accurate predictive models using AI trained on proprietary data.
“The moment I saw it, I was transfixed by the capability it had to enhance the viewer experience. Aiding the process of understanding what the quarterback was seeing,” said Orlins. “We launched a few episodes of MNF Playbook at the end of last season to use this tool. It’s a good fit for great football analysis.”
In March, Adrenaline presented the technology used in MNF Playbook to Omaha Productions. Following the presentation, the ManningCast adopted the concept as another tool in its arsenal.
However, the technology itself required adjustments to fit the broadcast style Peyton and Eli Manning bring to the ManningCast. The tool relies on AI, which must learn the X’s and O’s of the sport.
“Using my knowledge from my playing days, that’s where we began to build these models. But we then connected with Next Gen Stats with the sensors in players’ pads. That’s when this really took off,” said Sean Lee, head of sports data for Adrenaline. “We have 10 years of every football play that we trained our models on. That’s curated by players and coaches, and we connected that to the sensor data in real time. That’s how this tool comes alive.”
The goal is simple: Bring the meeting room to the living room.
Adapting For The ManningCast
The ManningCast has always aimed to teach viewers about football through the experiences of Peyton and Eli Manning. However, football terminology and lingo can vary across teams and schemes. Thus making it essential that the technology reflects the way both quarterbacks understand the game.
“We’re always looking for new ways to improve the show, and better ways to teach the viewers about football. We’re excited when we add new technology to the show,” said Peyton Manning. “Eli [Manning] and I both like to weigh in with the producers when we’re looking at new tech and new ideas. We test it out, give our notes. We talk about it, and rehearse it over and over again. The key for this tech is to feel natural to the way that we see the game and ManningMode does just that.”
With that in mind, the Manning brothers took an active role in developing the models presented on the broadcast.
“Peyton and Eli were very involved in developing which models we use for ManningMode. The formation titles that you see on the screen are also from Peyton and Eli’s history. They’re speaking to formations that they recognize and properly analyze for the viewer,” said Pepper. “Sure, the game has evolved, but it’s very similar to the game that they both experienced. We’re incredibly confident in the percentages and data that this technology is pushing out.”
Much like a captain aboard the Starship Enterprise, Peyton and Eli engage ManningMode several times per broadcast. Rather than activating the feature for brief moments, such as when a team enters the red zone. The production team has focused on utilizing it throughout specific drives.
“When we were playing, we might try to just look at how one or two players might be lined up to guess what they might do. Now, ManningMode is looking into the coaching and player history. But also direction of motions, and a player’s target rate,” said Eli Manning. “It’s just crazy how much information it’s tracking to come up with these models and numbers. Honestly, I wish we had these numbers pop up for me while I was playing.”
ManningMode operates in real time. Two boxes at the bottom of the on field action portion of the screen adapting to player movement and positioning within a formation. The display also features a run-pass predictor calculating the percentage chance of play being a run or pass play based on the formation, game situation, field position and other factors.
“We think that they [ManningCast viewers] can handle a lot of information. Sure, there’s a balance of throwing too much in their face at one time. But we’re not really trying to overload them with information,” said Eli Manning. “As long as Peyton [Manning] and I are helping to guide viewers through what those numbers might tell us about what we’re watching, I think we’re in a good spot.”
Like any additional broadcast tool, determining how much information is too much remains an ongoing conversation over time.
“The majority of our conversations are regarding presentation. We want the audience to understand what players are thinking before the snap. In addition, how complicated the game could be,” said Lee. “There’s a ton of work on how we’re presenting it. Not just on screen, but how deep into the data are we going to go.”
Drawing on his experience adapting the tool for MNF Playbook, Orlins said the approach has always been to maintain the two-box presentation through the snap before removing it. That allows viewers to watch the play unfold and see how the formations translate into action.
“We talk about it a lot. The ManningCast is already in a box layout, so the screen geometry is slightly reduced. It’s a question we wrestle with all the time. But the guiding philosophy is do more before the snap and keep it relatively clean during the action,” said Orlins.
Pepper admits that whenever the production team introduces a new broadcast element, it carefully considers whether the addition could overwhelm the audience. So far, however, feedback surrounding ManningMode suggests viewers have embraced the experience.
“What we saw with MNF Playbook last year is viewers gravitated to that model,” said Pepper. “We have great faith that what we’ve put out there is comprehensible to the viewer. We’re not using the technology for our whole show. It’s a fun and special moment where Peyton and Eli get transported to a stats universe. So, if we’re going a little overboard on two drives, it’s OK. Let’s nerd out for two drives but balance it with a broadcast that’s exciting for the viewers.”
Taking It To The Next Level
As with any emerging technology, questions surrounding future expansion naturally follow its introduction. Through the collaboration between the NFL, ESPN, Omaha Productions and Adrenaline, plans are underway to incorporate ManningMode into the Super Bowl LXI alternate broadcast featuring Peyton and Eli Manning in Los Angeles this February.
However, adapting the technology for other sports presents challenges.
“The only thing keeping us from expanding this to other sports is we just don’t have the real-time data that the NFL provides. The technology between Next Gen Stats and the chips in the pads and ball isn’t operational yet at the college level,” said Orlins. “Candidly, though, we would love to get it into the College Football Playoff. Plus, any championships that have the types of audiences that are second only to the NFL.”
At a time when viewers increasingly seek more information while watching their favorite sports, ManningMode has added another dimension to the continued success of the ManningCast. However, making such a tool effective requires the right talent, a clear understanding of the audience and a commitment to enhancing the broadcast without distracting from the game itself.
This February, when the football world turns its attention to ESPN and its family of networks for the Super Bowl, Pepper says ManningMode will play a significant role in the first Super Bowl edition of the ManningCast.
“They will be together in Los Angeles for the first time doing the ManningCast,” said Pepper. “We’re actively working on an exciting setup with ESPN and the NFL. Peyton and Eli are incredibly excited about it. ESPN has always been the best partner, and we’re fired up for the world to see it and be a part of ESPN’s Super Bowl. It’ll be a creative and innovative twist to what the ManningCast already does. People will recognize it but also be excited about the new presentation, and ManningMode will be a part of the experience. We couldn’t be more thrilled.”
The ManningCast has never been content with simply offering an alternative to traditional game coverage. From its inception, the goal has been to create a viewing experience that feels different while giving audiences a deeper appreciation for the game.
ManningMode is the latest example of that philosophy, blending the knowledge of two former NFL quarterbacks with technology that helps viewers see football through a different lens.
As the ManningCast prepares for its Super Bowl debut, the opportunity to introduce that approach to an even larger audience represents another milestone for the collaboration between ESPN and Omaha Productions. The technology may continue to evolve, but the objective remains the same: Bring fans closer to the game by helping them understand what happens between the lines.
With Peyton and Eli Manning leading the way, the next evolution of the ManningCast could be its most ambitious yet.
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