The Lead
Peyton Manning is getting back into team sports — sort of.
NBC announced Tuesday that Manning will host "College Bowl," a quiz show in which students compete for scholarships.
The show is a reboot of a show of the same name that ran on radio in the 1950s and on television from 1959 through 1970. NBC has reportedly ordered 10 episodes, as Janet W. Lee of Variety writes, and students from 12 schools will compete head-to-head as part of a tournament bracket.
"I've always loved intense college competition, so I'm thrilled to be part of the team bringing back 'College Bowl,'" Manning said in a statement. "Having personally seen the profound impact scholarships can make on deserving students, I can't wait for the moment when we get to award life-changing scholarships to the winning team."
Peyton won't be the only Manning involved in this revival of "College Bowl," either. His brothers, Cooper and Eli, are also on board as two of the show's executive producers.
"We're excited to bring this beloved college game show back to primetime with a fresh new spin that is sure to not only entertain but also inspire," said Jenny Groom, executive vice president of unscripted content at NBCUniversal. "Peyton's love for competition, sport and education makes him the perfect host and partner. It will be so much fun to showcase these college rivalries and, more importantly, the incredibly smart and talented students behind them."
The show does not yet have premiere date.
The endeavor represents the latest update in Manning's work in television, as he also is set to debut the second season of “Peyton’s Places” on Sunday.
Below the Fold
Manning was also in the news on Tuesday as he and 24 other former NFL stars were named semifinalists for the Pro Football Hall of Fame’s Class of 2021. Manning's candidacy, of course, is practically a sure thing, as Adam Rank writes for NFL.com. "You could almost make an argument that Manning would be a Hall of Famer based on his Denver years alone, when he set single-season records for passing yards and TDs (5,477 and 55, respectively, in 2013) while earning two All-Pro nods and winning his second Super Bowl," Rank writes.
CBS4 caught up with former Broncos tight end Wesley Duke, who is still in the Denver area as a firefighter, to talk to him about his post-NFL path. "I have a heart to serve, so this gives me that opportunity," he said.
