The battle between sports media giants ESPN and Fox Sports continues as both attempt to bring aboard former Indianapolis Colts and Denver Broncos quarterback Peyton Manning.
According to an article written this week by Michael McCarthy of Sporting News, ESPN and Fox Sports are both willing to pay Manning over a whopping $10 million per year to be their NFL color analyst for their respective “Monday Night Football” and “Thursday Night Football” games this upcoming 2018-19 season.
“That's virtually unheard of for an NFL color analyst. ESPN's former Monday Night Football analyst, Jon Gruden, was the network's highest-paid employee at $6.5 million per year as of 2015, according to author Jim Miller. But these are not normal times for ESPN, Fox or the NFL,” McCarthy said.
NFL on CBS play-by-play announcer Jim Nantz, who helped tutor former Dallas Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo during his first year as a color analyst this past season, is a close friend of Manning's and knows he'll be highly successful regardless of what he chooses to do.
“There are so many things that Peyton can do with his life. I’m sure that’s what he’s weighing right now,” Nantz said. “I believe that he would be capable if the opportunity came along and he wanted to run an NFL franchise like John Elway. If that was available to him, I think there would be interest and I think he would be very good at it.”
“If Peyton wanted to get into the television business, he’s going to work like everything else he does. He will think everything through, and outwork everyone, and he will be good at it. But that’s something he has to weigh right now. I have no insight or knowledge of where that is. I wish him well.”
Manning has plenty of television experience and a Hall of Fame resume as a quarterback that would make him a great fit at either ESPN or Fox Sports.
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