Skip to Content
Newsletter Facebook Twitter YouTube
ESPN

ESPN to Host NFL Monday Night Wild Card Playoff Game For Next 5 Years, With ManningCast on ESPN+

Jeff Kotuby
Jeff Kotuby is a contributing writer to The Streamable who specializes in sports, music, and all things Japanese media. He cut the cord in 2017 and has spent the last six years of his career writing for technology, entertainment, and healthcare websites. He's a lifelong Philadelphia Eagles and Anaheim Ducks fan, but also enjoys watching animated shows from the '90s.
Read full bio ›
Jeff Kotuby

The first-ever Monday night Wild Card playoff game will air on the same network as the other Monday night games — ESPN.

Today, ESPN announced it reached a five-year deal with the NFL to broadcast the Monday night Wild Card game beginning with the 2021 season and continuing through the 2025 season. The inaugural Monday night NFL Wild Card game will be played on January 17, 2022, (8:15 p.m. ET), marking the grand finale of the NFL’s Super Wild Card Weekend and the first scheduled weekday prime time NFL Playoff game.

Both ABC and ESPN will air the traditional telecast, helmed by Steve Levy, Brian Griese, Louis Riddick, Lisa Salters, and John Parry. On ESPN2 and ESPN+, the incredibly popular “Manning-cast” starring Peyton and Eli Manning will be available and ESPN Deportes will air the Spanish-language telecast. Additional MegaCast production offerings will be announced at a later date.

Speculation abounded regarding which broadcast network would end up airing the Monday night Wild Card game, with some wondering if the NFL would give a non-ABC-affiliated network the game. Common sense ultimately prevailed and now your muscle memory won’t fail you — ESPN will air a Monday night football game.

What’s more interesting is the appearance of the “Manning-cast” during these games. While not surprising, especially considering the broadcast's success with fans and industry execs alike, the postseason Manning-casts have a chance to be especially insightful, informative, and entertaining.

ESPN also casually snuck in the fact that there will be other alternate broadcasts, which creates an interesting proposition. Expect to see similar alternate broadcasts that one would see during ESPN’s coverage of the NCAA Football national championship games, like a “Coach’s Corner” featuring prominent former football coaches, a “Fan Stream” featuring celebrity fans interacting with the game alongside ESPN personalities, and perhaps a stream helmed by NFL Live stars Dan Orlovsky and Ryan Clark, who have provided fantastic football coverage on ESPN’s flagship football studio show over the past few years.

DTV STREAM Fubo Hulu Philo Sling TV YouTube
Free Trial Free Trial Free Trial Free Trial Get 50% Off Sign Up
$79.99 $91.99 $76.99 $25 $40 $40 $72.99
ESPN ✓ ✓ ✓ - ✓ - ✓
Jeff Kotuby
Jeff Kotuby is a contributing writer to The Streamable who specializes in sports, music, and all things Japanese media. He cut the cord in 2017 and has spent the last six years of his career writing for technology, entertainment, and healthcare websites. He's a lifelong Philadelphia Eagles and Anaheim Ducks fan, but also enjoys watching animated shows from the '90s.
Read full bio ›
Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Reddit

DIRECTV STREAM Cash Back

Let us know your e-mail address to send your $50 Amazon Gift Card when you sign up for DIRECTV STREAM.

You will receive it ~2 weeks after you complete your first month of service.

Offer Terms

  • Only valid for new DIRECTV STREAM subscribers.
  • Only valid once per household.
  • You must pay and maintain service for at least one month to be eligible.
  • Purchase must be completed on the DIRECTV STREAM website.
  • You’ll receive gift card 4-6 weeks after purchase (~2 weeks after your first month).
  • Cannot be combined with any other promotion and won’t be eligible if you try to use a coupon code or cash back from another site.

Sling TV Cash Back

Let us know your e-mail address to send your $25 Uber Eats Gift Card when you sign up for Sling TV.

You will receive it ~2 weeks after you complete your first month of service.

Offer Terms

  • Only valid for new Sling TV subscribers to Sling Orange, Blue, or Sling Orange + Blue.
  • Only valid once per household.
  • You must pay and maintain service for at least one month to be eligible.
  • You must click from The Streamable and complete your purchase on the Sling TV website.
  • You’ll receive gift card 4-6 weeks after purchase (~2 weeks after your first month).
  • Cannot be combined with any other promotion and won’t be eligible if you try to use a coupon code or cash back from another site.

Hulu Live TV Cash Back

Let us know your e-mail address to send your $35 Amazon Gift Card when you sign up for Hulu Live TV.

You will receive it ~2 weeks after you complete your first month of service.

Offer Terms

  • Only valid for new Hulu Live TV subscribers.
  • Only valid once per household.
  • You must pay and maintain service for at least one month to be eligible.
  • You must click from The Streamable and complete your purchase on the Hulu Live TV website.
  • You’ll receive gift card 4-6 weeks after purchase (~2 weeks after your first month).
  • Cannot be combined with any other promotion and won’t be eligible if you try to use a coupon code or cash back from another site.