Week 1 of the NFL season is in the books, which means we are getting our first look at this season’s ratings.
Surprising absolutely no one, this country still loves football.
ESPN shared that Monday night’s game between the Denver Broncos and Kansas City Chiefs brought in an audience of 23.2 million, making it the most-viewed Week 1 MNF game ever, and putting it as the third-most-watched MNF telecast since the Worldwide Leader took over the slot in 2006.
It’s a big year for ESPN, as the network is set to broadcast its first Super Bowl, so surely everyone in Bristol is pleased by the strong start to the year. Joe Buck, who signed a six-year extension with the network worth more than $100 million according to a Wednesday report from Andrew Marchand of The Athletic, probably feels pretty good about the numbers too.
But the ratings from Monday night weren’t all good news for ESPN, as the ManningCast had a rather slow start to the season. Per Marchand, the ManningCast brought in 705,000 viewers on ESPN2.
Great number overall.
705K for the Manningcast on ESPN2 (not in the release, but I’ve confirmed) https://t.co/BQG9wYf4p8
— Andrew Marchand (@AndrewMarchand) September 16, 2026
The numbers for the ManningCast have been trending down for a few years now. Last season, the show failed to clear one million viewers at any point during the NFL season, including ESPN’s Wild Card game. Just two shows all year cleared 900,000 viewers. While 705,000 isn’t a new low point—three shows last season failed to clear the 600,000 mark—the starting number doesn’t bode well for the future, as the first broadcast of the season should be one of the more popular shows of the year.
Still, the ManningCast brings value to ESPN beyond just its ratings. The show offers a weekly shot at producing viral clips of the Mannings reacting to plays and interviewing guests. Just giving Peyton and Eli the space to do something on camera that can be used on social media is a win for ESPN, even if people are seeing the moment through the algorithm rather than tuning in live. As Monday showed, the network is also willing to keep trying new things with the Mannings, with the debut of “Manning Mode.”
Peyton Manning launches Manning Mode, showing off advanced stats, formations, coverages, etc.
Peyton: “The world as you and I know it no longer exists.”
Eli: “Do we have Manning Mode for the punt?”
Peyton: “No. No, no, no. Absolutely not. No Manning Mode for special teams.” pic.twitter.com/j9uG1p1wK4
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) September 15, 2026
The ManningCast also crucially keeps ESPN in the Manning business, which is a business they certainly want to be in. With the network’s first Super Bowl coming fast, you can expect the Mannings to be a part of the promotional campaigns set to drum up excitement for the big game. They’re already featured in a few.
As things stand, Monday Night Football is in a great place, with Buck at the helm for the foreseeable future, and Aikman likely joining him on a similarly lucrative deal soon. The ManningCast might not be putting up the numbers it once did, but it still does more than enough to be a worthwhile investment for ESPN, especially heading into the Super Bowl.
About Tyler Lauletta
Tyler is a editorial contributor at Awful Announcing, with previous stops at Sports Illustrated and Business Insider during his career covering sports in digital media. He is, begrudgingly, a Truster of the Process and general Philly sports sicko.