Peyton Manning Is Having Trouble Finding NFL QBs Willing to Do Season 2 of ‘Quarterback’

The former NFL quarterback has found success with his hit Netflix series 'Quarterback,' but is having trouble finding leads for its second season

NFL Hall of Fame inductee Peyton Manning stands on the field during the NFL Super Bowl 55 football game between the Kansas City Chiefs and Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Sunday, Feb. 7, 2021 in Tampa, Fla.
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Ben Liebenberg/AP

A new host for his popular ManningCast show isn’t the only talent Peyton Manning is lacking.

The former NFL quarterback, 47, is reportedly having trouble finding three willing and able starting quarterbacks to star in the second season of the Netflix hit series Quarterback, which his company Omaha Productions produces with NFL Films.

“To use a cheesy analogy, we’re definitely in the two-minute drill here,” he told The Hollywood Reporter late last month. “I’d love for someone to call us back and say, ‘I want to do it.’ I had three starting quarterbacks tell me no yesterday, so I’m swallowing my pride.”

And while the first season — which showcased Kansas City Chiefs star Patrick Mahomes, Kirk Cousins from Minnesota Vikings and Marcus Mariota (formerly of the Atlanta Falcons) — received good reviews and ratings, nailing down interested parties has been a tough task, Manning said.

“I’ll be perfectly honest: We cast the net out to a lot of quarterbacks,” he told THR. “We tried to do it two years ago and couldn’t get anybody to say yes.” 

Scoring Mahomes involved a personal visit in the summer of 2022, Manning revealed, and said the playmaker was persuaded when he told him that his two children would one day appreciate the effort.

Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes (15) warms up in front of head coach Andy Reid before the NFL Super Bowl 57 football game
Ashley Landis/AP/Shutterstock

“I said, ‘Patrick, I’m just telling you, you’re going to want your kids to know what you used to do. And what greater way to do it?’ ” Manning said. “And I think that kind of struck home.”

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As for his current quest to cast the series leads, Manning said he has even offered a “guarantee” that he can't exactly fulfill.

“I think maybe some guys are thinking that it is going to be a distraction, even though I told a couple of them, ‘I guarantee you’ll win the Super Bowl like Mahomes if you do it,’ ” he said.

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