For years, Bill Belichick was not someone Peyton Manning got excited to see. Manning was 8-12 against Belichick's Patriots throughout his career, playing with the Colts and Broncos. While the two have always openly respected each other, they were enemies on the field. But this season, they will have an entirely new dynamic as coworkers.
Belichick and the Patriots parted ways this offseason, and the future Hall of Fame coach did not land another coaching gig. Instead, he will be a regular on the "ManningCast," the alternate ESPN broadcast led by Peyton and Eli Manning, which features new guests each week.
Peyton admitted that pushing so hard to get Belichick on their show felt odd at times, considering his history against the head coach.
"This year we're going to add Bill Belichick," Manning said. "Now, explain that. I'm kind of wondering if I've been hit in the head too many times. I was recruiting a guy -- he was being courted by the other networks -- and I was recruiting a guy that pretty much made a lot of my football life miserable. And I was [saying] to him, 'No, we really want you to come work with us.'"
The Hall of Fame quarterback praised Belichick's knowledge of the game, noting how his insight will elevate the program. With Eli and Peyton being former quarterbacks, their knowledge and focus is more on the offensive side, so having a defensive-minded coach will provide a new angle to breaking down games.
"I think that will be great to bring a whole different kind of insight to the game on the defensive side," Peyton said. "Bill Belichick knows all things football and I just remember Tom Brady used to tell me how he used to sit with Coach Belichick on Tuesdays, and Belichick would just kind of tell him what we need to do to win this game. 'Tom, this is what the defense is going to try to do to you.' [Former Colts head coach] Tony Dungy did that with me. So to have that different perspective on every game that Eli and I are doing this year I think will be awesome. We're excited to do it again, and it's been fun to do."
Belichick has already had some reps as a television analyst, appearing on "The Pat McAfee Show" as an analyst for the NFL Draft.