So Cooper Manning is a Thing Now, Huh?

When did we as a society decide that Cooper Manning was a thing now? Because it seems that the eldest Manning brother is a thing now. It was announced this morning that ESPN was expanding its relationship with Peyton Manning's Omaha Productions to include some new podcasts. One of those involves Cooper Manning. If I were going to pitch it to you in an elevator I would describe it as the Uber of Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee of soup. Via Front Office Sports:

Cooper Manning invites players and coaches from across sports to share stories and laughs while enjoying a bowl of his guest’s favorite soup. When the soup is finished, the conversation ends.

Hopefully they will have a very dutiful producer prepared to remove every slurp. Unless that's what they're going for during these 10-minute conversations that will abruptly end when the waiter comes by with the entrée.

This is not Cooper's first foray into media. Far from it. In 2013 he covered the Super Bowl for Dan Patrick. Starting in 2015 he did segments for FOX NFL Kickoff.

He's appeared alongside his brothers in sportsbook ads.

And much more recently he showed up in a new web series for BBQGuys where he goes on a quest to hang out in people's backyards. Colin Cowherd was the first guest. Corns were holed. Laughs were had. Memories made.

With his son, Arch Manning, preparing to chose a college soon, there's no reason to think the Cooper Manning era is doing anything but just beginning. These are dark times indeed.