Report: Peyton Manning Turned Down ESPN's 'Monday Night Football' Offer

Peyton Manning has turned down ESPN's offer to work on Monday Night Football, according to the New York Post's Andrew Marchand.

Sources told Marchand that Manning did not want to work in the broadcast booth and sign on for the job's weekly fall schedule. The former NFL quarterback has worked with ESPN+ on the shows Peyton's Places and Details.

ESPN was hoping to bring Manning and Al Michaels together in the booth, but NBC denied the network's request to discuss acquiring the broadcasting veteran. Michaels has two years remaining on his Sunday Night Football contract with NBC Sports. At the time, ESPN had reportedly begun talks with Manning "in hopes of signing him with Michaels or not." 

ESPN also explored adding Tony Romo to its MNF crew after his first contract with CBS ended. The network was preparing to offer the former Cowboys QB a deal that would have paid him between $10 million-$14 million annually. However, Romo signed a new 10-year deal with CBS that's valued around $180 million.

On top of adding a big name to Monday Night Football, ESPN wants to broadcast more NFL games and a Super Bowl. Marchand reports the network hoped bringing in Manning or Romo could help make that happen.

Joe Tessitore and former Buccaneers defensive lineman Booger McFarland currently call ESPN's Monday Night Football games, and the network reportedly has not informed them if they will be returning or not. According to Marchand, Steve Levy, Brian Griese and Louis Riddick have also been discussed as a possible trio for MNF after they teamed up for a game together last season. Levy and Griese currently call college football games together.