We’re still waiting to hear a long-term plan from Peyton Manning, who has been linked with everything from politics to business to NFL team ownership or management since he retired from the NFL following his Super Bowl victory with the Broncos.
But in the short term, Manning continues to keep himself in the spotlight.
He’ll host the ESPYs, ESPN’s annual sports awards show, which will air on ABC on July 12 of this year.
“It’s an honor to be asked to host The ESPYS, and it’s even more meaningful that it’s the 25th year for this incredible event,” Manning said in a release from ESPN on Tuesday. “The ESPYS have been a part of my life during my entire career – I can still remember attending my very first show back in 1998 before my rookie season in the NFL. Over the years, The ESPYS have celebrated some of my favorite athletes and sports moments. In addition to recognizing a special year in sports, the 25th ESPYS will allow us to go down memory lane and pay tribute to those who have played such a huge part in this program’s success.”
“Though Peyton’s tremendous success in the NFL is the prism through which most sports fans know him, his warm sense of humor and ability to connect with an audience have been highlighted in his commercial work and when he hosted ‘Saturday Night Live’ to critical acclaim,” added ESPYS executive producer Maura Mandt. “Those qualities will make him a wonderful host for this year’s show.”
Manning, who has been a presenter at the ESPYs in the past, has also won a total of nine individuals ESPYs over the course of his career.
