Former Broncos QB Peyton Manning, musician Luke Bryan to co-host CMA awards

DENVER (KDVR) — Peyton Manning’s list of accomplishments continues to grow, this time to now include co-hosting the 57th Annual Country Music Awards, scheduled to air on Wednesday from 6-9 p.m.

Manning will be joined by country music legend Luke Bryan – and it isn’t for the first time. Manning and Bryan were co-hosts for the 2022 CMA awards as well, trading jabs and goofs all evening as well as pre-planned jokes told with an air of being off-the-cuff.

Manning spoke during the 2022 show about his love of country music star Reba McEntire and country music as a whole, calling the awards show the “Super Bowl of Country Music.” The Sheriff has gone to four Super Bowls in his career, including reaching two Super Bowls (and winning one) with the Denver Broncos.

Peyton and Bryan starred in a green-screened advertisement for the awards show, joking that they were “riding off into the sunset” after a well-done 2022 show.

“Luke, it was the stuff of legends,” Peyton proclaimed, before receiving a phone call inviting the pair back to host the 2023 awards show.

“If I turned my back on the CMAs, what kind of hosting icon would I be?” Bryan quipped.

“Hosting icons…plural,” Peyton fired back. “They called my phone, Luke.”

Since his retirement from football, Manning has embraced his public persona. His “break out role” was hosting the 2017 ESPYs, marked with his characteristic self-deprecating humor. He’s also made appearances on SNL, among other shows, and has been a voice actor for the likes of Century Fox and The Simpsons.

He’s also started his own media company, Omaha Productions, and began teaching at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, his alma mater. The football pro is educating students on topics like sports reporting, video production, public speaking and performance, leadership and communication, according to the university.

Many country music stars are set to take the stage Wednesday night, including co-host Bryan, Morgan Wallen, the Zac Brown Band, Kenny Chesney, Kelsea Ballerini, Little Big Town and Luke Combs, among many others. Some of the award presenters scheduled throughout the night include Paula Abdul, Bill Anderson and Martina McBride.