Tennessee legend and Hall of Fame quarterback Peyton Manning is set to reprise his role as the coach of the AFC team this weekend in the 2024 NFL Pro Bowl game. Peyton’s brother and broadcasting partner, Eli Manning, will be the coach of the NFC.
The two brothers are back as the coaches of the flag football game after the NFL made the switch from the tackle format starting with the 2023 Pro Bowl. Despite some skeptical feelings out there, the 2023 Pro Bowl was a smash hit as a flag football game with Eli’s NFC team topping Peyton’s AFC team by a score of 35-33 in a highly dramatic ending.
The format allowed for more personality from the players during the actual broadcast while also allowing players to go harder with significantly less fear or worry of suffering an injury that would be elevated in a tackle game.
Peyton is bringing in coaching help, though. The former Tennessee great will have former Denver teammate and Miami Dolphins receivers coach Wes Welker as his play-caller during the game while Eli retains the play-calling services of Minnesota Vikings receivers coach Keenan McCardell. Neither used an offensive coordinator/play-caller during the 2023 Pro Bowl.
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“I handed over the reins,” Eli Manning said to ESPN. “Keenan, you run it. I’ll be the head coach. I’ll talk trash to Peyton. I’ll be handling the players. I don’t want to think about calling any plays. This is your show… I’m sure [Peyton will] be like, ‘Hey Wes, you call the plays in the game, but I want you to call these 20 plays first. But yeah, you handle it, you’re the coordinator. But the first time we’re in the red zone, we’re definitely running this play and this play.”
As usual when the Manning brothers are together, hijinks are sure to take over the game and broadcast. The two just completed their third season of the Monday Night ManningCast broadcast which received rave reviews throughout the season.
Peyton Manning will have Dolphins QB Tua Tagovailoa, Colts QB Gardner Minshew, and Texans QB C.J. Stroud as his three signal callers for the game coming up on Sunday afternoon.
Peyton will be leading his AFC roster against brother Eli’s NFC roster in Camping World Stadium, the same location where Tennessee football took down Iowa in the Citrus Bowl on New Year’s Day.
The 2024 NFL Pro Bowl will take place at 3:00 p.m. ET this Sunday on the NFL Network from Orlando, Florida’s Camping World Stadium.
