Former Colts and Broncos quarterback Peyton Manning was voted the most-liked sports personality in a recent poll conducted by Morning Consult.
The poll asked 565 avid sports fans if they had favorable or unfavorable views of various sports personalities and 79 percent of the fans gave Manning a favorable rating, compared to just 11 percent viewing him unfavorably.
The next closest on the list is NBA analyst Charles Barkley (77 percent favorable), followed by NBC commentator Al Michaels (66 percent favorable).
Texas Tech University assistant professor Jimmy Sanderson told Morning Consult that he believes Manning is viewed so favorably in large part because he stays away from controversy.
“He doesn’t talk about politics,” Sanderson said. “He doesn’t really do anything that would make him divisive.”
It’s easy to see why ESPN has been courting Manning for “Monday Night Football.” The former QB is beloved by NFL fans and his witty sense of humor has already proven successful on television — who doesn’t love Manning’s commercials?
For now, though, Manning is staying out of the broadcast booth, in part because his brother, Eli, is still playing. If Manning does join ESPN down the road, it’s probably safe to assume he will be well-received by sports fans.
