Whenever a first-year quarterback throws more interceptions than the years they’ve been alive, someone always tries to use Peyton Manning’s rookie season as justification not to panic. Clearly, Peyton was an outlier and worked out of a disastrous rookie campaign to become one of the greatest quarterbacks to have ever played the position.
That, however, doesn’t make him a bad quarterback whisperer or aficionado. In fact, Peyton hates nothing more than poor quarterback play.
And he has the ManningCast to prove it.
While the ratings have teetered depending on the week, the consistently best part of the program every time Peyton and Eli go on air is watching the elder Manning get peeved by poor quarterback play. It’s often the most entertaining part of the broadcast and is sure to go viral on social media just about any time it happens.
While we saw Peyton torch Brandon Aiyuk in Week 1 for a dropped touchdown pass, he’s been even less kind to those who play the same position he did. During Monday’s Tampa Bay Buccaneers-Baltimore Ravens game, Peyton was practically begging Baker Mayfield to throw the football away before an ill-timed interception that perhaps everyone except the former No. 1 overall pick in the 2018 NFL Draft saw coming.
“Throw it away. Throw it away. Throw it away.” – Peyton Manning, right before Baker Mayfield throws it to the other team in the end zone
“Oh no, Baker!” – Eli Manning 🏈🎙️ #ManningCast #MNF #NFL pic.twitter.com/BWR4j3VPPD
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) October 22, 2024
It’s not just Mayfield, though. Of course, the previous Monday gave Peyton a break from what really grinds his gear, as Josh Allen and Aaron Rodgers usually aren’t doing many things that will get underneath his skin.
On the other hand, they’re no Derek Carr.
Peyton was so mad at Derek Carr over that INT 😂 #ManningCast pic.twitter.com/jUFRTiyPTt
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) October 8, 2024
Mayfield and Carr’s misdeeds are already two of the best Peyton highlights of the 2024 NFL season and Season 3 of the ManningCast. There were also some moments in Season 2 that were worthy of drawing Peyton’s ire. And in these moments, his face tells the story.
Josh Allen throws a brutal interception that leads to a Broncos field goal (which gives Denver a 15-8 lead at halftime in Buffalo).
Peyton and Eli Manning react to the turnover. #MNF pic.twitter.com/FXkAPY4Afl
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) November 14, 2023
“Oh no. Oh no. Oh no. Oh no.” – Eli Manning on Daniel Jones’ interception returned 97 yards for a touchdown. pic.twitter.com/auFeLXiyFm
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) October 3, 2023
Manning getting ridiculously annoyed by lousy quarterback play will never not be funny. Like most of us at home, he can’t stomach watching bad football unfold. But as a former quarterback himself, Peyton looks like he wants to change the channel at times and watch literally anything else, as opposed to Mayfield, Carr, Daniel Jones or even Zach Wilson throwing back-breaking interceptions that he sees unfolding in real-time.
For all the laughs, insights and celebrity cameos the ManningCast provides, there’s one thing that’s become crystal clear: if you’re a quarterback prone to turnovers, Peyton’s TV might be in more danger than you are of losing your job.
And honestly, we’re all here for it because watching him wince, sigh, and glare at bad decisions on the field might be the best thing to happen to Monday Night Football since Joe Buck and Troy Aikman took over the ESPN broadcast booth.
One of these days, he’s changing the channel. It’s going to happen.
About Sam Neumann
Since the beginning of 2023, Sam has been a staff writer for Awful Announcing and The Comeback. A 2021 graduate of Temple University, Sam is a Charlotte native, who currently calls Greenville, South Carolina his home. He also has a love/hate relationship with the New York Mets and Jets.