Peyton Manning may need to brush up on his French for the 2024 Summer Olympics.
NBC Sports announced on Tuesday night that the two-time Super Bowl champion and Hall of Fame quarterback will be joining the company's broadcast coverage of the 2024 Olympics in Paris this summer.
Manning will be alongside longtime NBC Olympics host Mike Tirico and talk show host Kelly Clarkson for the Opening Ceremony of the Games. In addition, Today Show hosts Savannah Guthrie and Hoda Kotb are back as members of the broadcast team.
It marks the first time in the careers of both Manning and Clarkson that they will be a part of the coverage of the iconic event.
“This summer’s Opening Ceremony will be unlike anything we’ve ever seen, and we’re thrilled to have Kelly and Peyton join Mike to describe all the spectacular sights and sounds happening along The Seine leading to the lighting of the cauldron," said Molly Solomon, executive producer & president of NBC Olympics production. "Savannah and Hoda have one of the most exciting Opening Ceremony positions ever, reporting from a bridge above the river as athletes from around the globe sail by in a parade of nations the world has never seen."
Manning has frequented the media scene since his retirement from the NFL in 2016. The former Colts and Broncos star founded Omaha Productions and also hosts Monday Night Football with Peyton and Eli, the ESPN simulcast of Monday Night Football starring Manning and his younger brother, Eli.
NBC has been pursuing Manning as a potential add to the broadcast team since the Kentucky Derby in May of 2023, according to The Athletic's Andrew Marchand. Tirico in particular pushed to try and get the former quarterback, although Manning was not receptive to the idea at first based solely on the fact that he felt he did not have the merits to be chosen.
"I kind of argued with him as to why he and NBC thought I was worthy," Manning said. "He said they were bringing in Kelly Clarkson to kind of give the perspective of a fan and wanted me to share the perspective of what these athletes are thinking about it."
Manning eventually was convinced. Part of that had to do with Tirico's involvement, as Manning said he would not have considered if the NBC Sports host was not a part of it. He also has a love for the Olympics. He attended the 1996 Games in Atlanta and planned to be at the Tokyo Games in 2020 before COVID-19 shut out fans.
However, perhaps the most heartwarming reason why he accepted the gig? His mother.
"One of the other reasons I did say yes was because I took a little French in high school," Manning said. "My mother said, ‘I want you to take me to Paris one day.’ And 30 years later, I’m fulfilling that promise."
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When are the 2024 Summer Olympics?
The 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris are set to kick off with the Opening Ceremony on Friday, July 26. The final day of the Olympiad will be on Sunday, Aug. 11.
In total, there are going to be 32 different sports featured in France, totaling 329 events. Four new events are making their debuts at the 2024 Games: Breakdancing, surfing, skateboarding, and sport climbing.
