ESPN Announces "The Breakdown With Peyton and Kuechly"

Football fans are getting a new look inside the game from two of its most accomplished former players. ESPN and Omaha Productions have announced The Breakdown with Peyton and Kuechly, a new ESPN Original Series that will bring Pro Football Hall of Famer Peyton Manning and former NFL linebacker Luke Kuechly together in the film room to preview some of the biggest matchups of the upcoming NFL season.

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Produced in partnership with Omaha Productions and NFL Films, the series will give viewers an inside look at the strategy, preparation and key storylines surrounding marquee Monday Night Football games. New episodes will debut Fridays on the ESPN App, with select installments also airing on ESPN.
Across 11 episodes, Manning and Kuechly will offer perspectives from opposite sides of the football. Manning's experience as one of the NFL's most accomplished quarterbacks will be paired with Kuechly's perspective as a former elite defensive player, allowing the two to examine how offensive and defensive strategies intersect before kickoff.
The first eight episodes will focus on select Monday Night Football games during the regular season. The series will then shift into the postseason, with episodes dedicated to the Wild Card and Divisional rounds before concluding with a preview of Super Bowl LXI, which will mark ESPN's first production of the Super Bowl.
Manning and Kuechly will use game film to examine key players and matchups, identify tendencies and explain the decisions that can influence a game before the ball is even snapped. The goal is to give fans a closer look at the preparation that goes into an NFL matchup while keeping the discussion accessible.
"I'm thrilled to continue The Breakdown with Luke Kuechly," said Peyton Manning. "Luke and I competed on opposite sides of the ball, which wasn't always fun for me. I'm glad we're on the same team now. Luke is one of the smartest defensive players I've ever been around, and I'm looking forward to learning from him as we build this show."
Kuechly similarly highlighted the opportunity to examine games from both sides of the ball.
"Peyton's preparation and understanding of the game are second to none, so I'm excited to sit down with him each week and look at the Monday Night matchup from both sides of the ball," said Luke Kuechly. "We want to help fans understand the details that can decide a game — the players, schemes and how we'd approach preparing for them — while keeping the conversation fun and accessible."
The series will open with a matchup between the Atlanta Falcons and New Orleans Saints during Week 4. Other regular-season episodes will cover several high-profile divisional and interconference matchups throughout the season.
The announced Season 2 schedule includes:
- Episode 1 | Week 4: Atlanta Falcons vs. New Orleans Saints
- Episode 2 | Week 5: Buffalo Bills vs. Los Angeles Rams
- Episode 3 | Week 7: Dallas Cowboys vs. Philadelphia Eagles
- Episode 4 | Week 8: Chicago Bears vs. Seattle Seahawks
- Episode 5 | Week 10: Los Angeles Chargers vs. Baltimore Ravens
- Episode 6 | Week 11: Cincinnati Bengals vs. Washington Commanders
- Episode 7 | Week 13: Dallas Cowboys vs. Seattle Seahawks
- Episode 8 | Week 15: New England Patriots vs. Kansas City Chiefs
- Episode 9 | Wild Card: Matchup TBD
- Episode 10 | Divisional Round: Matchup TBD
- Episode 11 | Super Bowl LXI: Matchup TBD
The Wild Card and Divisional Round installments will expand beyond the Monday Night Football with Peyton and Eli schedule to examine postseason matchups, while the final episode will turn its attention to Super Bowl LXI.
"'The Breakdown' gives fans a unique opportunity to see the game through their eyes," said Lindsay Rovegno, Vice President and Executive Producer, ESPN Originals. "Their perspectives from opposite sides of the ball bring fans inside some of the NFL's biggest matchups on the road to Super Bowl LXI."
The series is also part of ESPN's broader "Year of the Super Bowl" initiative, a yearlong collaboration with Disney and the NFL leading into Super Bowl LXI. The initiative brings together programming, storytelling, marketing and fan experiences across ESPN, ABC and Disney platforms and destinations throughout the 2026-27 NFL season.
The "Year of the Super Bowl" began following Super Bowl LX with "The Handoff," a 24-hour, multiplatform event connecting Super Bowl LX at Levi's Stadium with Super Bowl LXI at SoFi Stadium. Throughout the season, ESPN and Disney will continue spotlighting the road to Los Angeles through programming and experiences surrounding major moments on the NFL calendar.
Super Bowl LXI is scheduled for February 14, 2027, at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles, where the game will air on ESPN and ABC as ESPN takes on its first Super Bowl production.
The Breakdown with Peyton and Kuechly adds another football-focused entry to ESPN Originals, the network's slate of premium programming centered on major athletes, stories and moments in sports. The ESPN Originals lineup includes programs such as the Emmy-winning Man in the Arena: Tom Brady, Peyton's Places, In the Arena: Serena Williams, Full Court Press and Clutch: The NBA Playoffs.
With Manning and Kuechly bringing their respective quarterback and defensive perspectives into the film room, The Breakdown will give viewers a closer look at the preparation and strategy behind some of the NFL season's biggest games, culminating with the road to Super Bowl LXI.

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ESPN and Omaha Productions Announce "The Breakdown With Peyton and Kuechly"

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