ESPN desperately wants Peyton Manning and the network is willing to pay a premium for his services.
CBS Sports recently reached an agreement with commentator Tony Romo on a contract extension that will pay him around $17 million per year. Manning is now able to use Romo’s contract as leverage and ESPN is willing to top it.
Disney, ESPN’s parent company, is willing to pay Manning $18 million to $20 million per season to call “Monday Night Football” games, according to a report from Michael McCarthy of Front Office Sports.
Manning has met with ESPN executives in recent days, according to McCarthy. The former NFL quarterback already has a working relationship with ESPN — he has hosted two different shows — Detail and Peyton’s Places — on ESPN Plus, a streaming service.
In addition to trying to land Manning, ESPN is also trying to trade for NBC’s Al Michaels. ESPN seems to believe Manning and Michaels could team up to form a dream team that would rival the CBS duo of Romo and Jim Nantz.
If Manning signs with ESPN for $20 million a year, he would be making more per season than he did in all but three of his 18 years in the NFL. In 2015, his final season, Manning made $19 million, according to Spotrac.com. He retired after helping the Broncos win Super Bowl 50 that year.
