The Quarterback series on Netflix became one of the great things about the summer of 2023. It’s due to return in 2024.
But here’s the question. Who will do it?
Plenty of quarterbacks have been asked about it. None have said they’re doing it. While it’s possible they’ve been sworn to secrecy, that’s not a practical approach. The producers (Omaha Productions and NFL Films) have to realize that, unlike last year when no one knew the show even existed, quarterbacks will be asked about it in 2023.
For now, no one has said they’re doing it. No one has even said, “I can’t talk about it” or “no comment” or whatever else could be said other than “yes,” if they aren’t allowed to say “yes.”
The show created a favorable impression (for the most part) for the three quarterbacks featured in the first season — Marcus Mariota, Patrick Mahomes, Kirk Cousins. None of them complained about the show being a distraction or the manner in which the edits were made. (Cousins has said he had final say over the content; the others presumably did, too.)
So why are so many declining? Executive producer Peyton Manning has bristled at the idea it’s a distraction. (Peyton Manning the player surely would have viewed any alteration to his carefully-constructed procedures as a massive distraction, and he never would have agreed to do it.) Still, more and more quarterbacks have said that they regard it as a potential distraction.
Will they have three quarterbacks before Week One? Manning might have to work overtime to twist the right arms and/or make the right deals to get the right guys to conclude it’s the right time for them to do it.
They might have to deploy camera crews under a conditional acceptance. Some players, like Bills quarterback Josh Allen, might want to do it only if the season turns out in a positive way.
Regardless, Manning and the rest of the producers quite possibly have some work to do. Unlike Hard Knocks, which needs only one acceptance (and which has a formula for forcing a team to agree to do it), Quarterback needs three starters to consent.
Given the manner in which Aaron Rodgers has taken to Hard Knocks, maybe he’ll do Quarterback, too? Someone should ask him that at his next press conference.
