Former NFL quarterback is ESPN's rising star

You may have noticed something a bit different if you tuned in to First Take Thursday morning. It’s not that Stephen A. Smith, Shannon Sharpe, Molly Qerim, and other regulars weren’t on set, and the new faces weren’t filling in for them either. Instead, a former NFL quarterback and ACC Network analyst took on a reporter role.

EJ Manuel, a former first-round pick of the Buffalo Bills in 2013, has become a familiar face at ESPN. He’s a regular studio analyst on ACC Network’s The Huddle , co-hosts In Play with Kelsey Riggs on the same network, and frequently contributes to ESPN’s College Football Live. In addition, he co-hosts College Sports Today on SiriusXM with Brock Huard.

But now, the 34-year-old Manuel is adding reporting duties to his long list of accomplishments as an analyst. And while you’d think it would be on Atlantic Coastal Conference teams — and that still may very well be the case – Manuel was reporting on the Philadelphia Eagles live from the Miami Hurricanes practice facility.

While the specifics might not make much sense, Manuel’s ascension at the Worldwide Leader does. He has connections in the college football world that seemingly extend to the NFL, allowing him to report on the relationship between quarterback Jalen Hurts and head coach Nick Sirianni. And in doing so, he offered a look at the *right now* of ESPN’s original reporting , done by Tim McManus and Jeremy Fowler, after speaking to those in Hurts’ camp.

“It’s not a big deal at all, man,” Manuel said regarding the reported bridge between the quarterback and head coach. “I’ve actually talked to some people in Jalen’s camp, and they said, ‘He and Coach Sirianni are better than ever.’ And there’s a lot of growth that goes on when you have a franchise quarterback, when you have a team that plays for a Super Bowl, and when things don’t work out the following year. Now, they did start off on a great start, going 10-1, and then just the down stretch, an early exit in the playoffs, and then going 1-6; everybody’s gonna be upset, everybody’s gonna be frustrated.

“But, ultimately, you bring in a new offensive coordinator. Kellen Moore, I think, is gonna help unleash some things within this offense. And, again, on third down, they were blitzed more than anybody in the NFL, so, as a quarterback, it’s really hard to process that way. You’re gonna have some frustrations and some ups and downs. And I just believe when you bring in a running back like Saquon Barkley, take off some of the edge, and also can help in protection for Jalen, they’re going to be fine this year.”

Manuel’s perspective as a former NFL quarterback was valued during this segment, as Brian Custer asked what he made of Hurts calling the former defensive coordinator of the New York Giants, Wink Martindale (now with the Michigan Wolverines).

Here’s an excerpt from McManus and Fowler’s reporting:

With the playoffs approaching and the hunt for improvement unending, Hurts made an unusual move. He called former Giants defensive coordinator Wink Martindale, who had parted ways with New York following Week 18.

“I’ve been doing this for 40 years,” said Martindale, now the defensive coordinator at the University of Michigan, “and it’s the first time I’ve had an opposing quarterback call me up. I thought it was pretty cool that the guy called. It shows you what kind of pro he really is. He’s just looking at every angle that he can to get better.”

The phone call lasted about half an hour, Martindale told ESPN. They discussed weaknesses in Philadelphia’s protection and how New York tried to game-plan him.

“It was very effective and he knew it, and he just wanted to know why we did certain things that we did. Then he went to work on that,” Martindale said.

“If I’m an Eagles fan, I’m excited about that because it shows that Jalen cares,” says Manuel. “I mean, if you try to figure out — you can’t beat your opponent unless you know your opponent. And now that Wink Martindale is now with the Michigan Wolverines, there’s no harm in calling him and asking him, ‘Hey, man, how did you guys attack us on third down? How did you view us as a first-down team? How did you view us as far as the things and philosophies that we have as an offense?

“And so, if I’m a fan, I like what Jalen did. But, again, going back to what Kimberley (A. Martin) is saying, the reason I don’t think it’s a big deal is because every coach and player has some friction. Whenever things go down, or things go south, you have an early exit in the playoffs, you’re gonna have some friction. You may not agree with what the coach’s calling, and the coach isn’t going to agree with you…the lines of communication have to be free, and I think that’s gonna clear up for Jalen with Kellen Moore as the OC.”

Manuel’s appearance on First Take is a notable departure from his usual analyst role. It also challenges the traditional path for many former players who transition into broadcasting. He’s undoubtedly had to rise the ranks for ESPN to show some trust in his abilities, but given his strong ties to the ACC, his reporting on the Eagles (from an ACC campus) demonstrates that there’s a broader scope here.

It’s a promising sign for Manuel’s career in sports media and shows that he’s quickly becoming a versatile asset for ESPN. Besides him donning an ACC Network polo and having the Miami Hurricanes logo in the background, you would’ve never been able to tell this isn’t something he does every day for the network as he effortlessly transitioned from analyzing college football to reporting on the NFL.

What’s particularly intriguing is ESPN’s decision to throw him into the mix on First Take right before the start of the football season. Manuel’s already positioned himself as a rising star in sports media. This seemingly only furthers that. His deep football acumen from his playing experience and growing on-air presence make him a compelling figure to watch. If he continues to develop his reporting skills, there’s no doubt he could become a significant player in the industry.

[ First Take ]

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