They don’t hand out Tony Awards for the most comedic and elaborate Broadway-inspired promotion for a football television series. But if they did, “ ManningCast the Musical” would be a clear winner.

“ManningCast,” ESPN ’s popular live broadcast series of Monday night football games hosted by NFL superstar brothers Peyton and Eli Manning , announced its fourth season Sept. 3 with a ten-minute YouTube video chronicling the Mannings’ (fictional) efforts to mount “ManningCast the Musical,” complete with original songs, choreo, a “Rent” riff, sequined versions of the Mannings’ signature quarter-zip sweaters, and a bonkers array of cameos from Robert Downey Jr., the Backstreet Boys, Kevin Hart, Michael Bublé, Pete Davidson, Paris Hilton, Snoop Dogg and Disney CEO Bob Iger, all mixed in amid the parade of football faces.

The comedic short, which garnered 6.6 million social media views in its first 48 hours, is so extravagant that it makes you wonder: How did they manage to pull it off? And, well… why?

Therese Andrews, head of production at Peyton Manning ‘s Omaha Productions, spent almost a year overseeing a 22-day shoot, spanning seven months and featuring over 40 cameos. She worked in collaboration with a team comprising writer-conceiver and in-house producer DJ Gallo, executive producer (and Omaha co-founder) Jamie Horowitz, and Tony-winning Broadway regular Tom Kitt. (The “Next to Normal” composer even has a cameo in the promo, sitting beside a figure who may not be familiar to NFL fans: Commissioner Roger Goodell.)

The first cameos were filmed back in February at the Pro Bowl in Orlando. “We were there, asking a group of all-star athletes: ‘Hey, would you mind putting on these costumes and dancing and lip-syncing to a couple of our songs?’” Andrews chuckles.

The producers of “ManningCast” — which has won Emmys for Outstanding Live Series (both this year and in 2022) and for Outstanding Personality/Sports Event Analyst (for Peyton in 2023) — have a history of announcing new seasons with eye-catching, humorous, and slightly self-deprecating promos. Inspired by Peyton Manning’s “Emily in Paris” skit on a 2022 episode of “Saturday Night Live,” Lily Collins announced the second season of “ManningCast,” while the third-season promo was a seven-minute comedy featuring a multitude of cameos, showcasing the brothers as they disastrously audition for a third co-host. This last video garnered 42.5 million views on social media.

“We wanted to see how far we could push the boundaries of these promos,” Andrew says. “Turns out, quite a lot. As soon as we wrapped production on this one, we immediately started working on the next one.”

The seeds for this musical extravaganza were planted in October, when the production team began brainstorming ideas. The Mannings themselves ultimately favored the musical concept. In February, Lin-Manuel Miranda recommended his Broadway colleague, Kitt, for the project. A significant production day took place in May with the Mannings and the actors, culminating in vocal recordings in June. The final cameo was filmed just last month.

Serving as a stand-in for a Broadway venue was the Kent Denver School’s Anschutz Theater in Denver, Colorado, where Peyton Manning resides. The performers showcased in the on-stage musical sequence were carefully selected from the University of Colorado’s theater department.

And yes, the Mannings even took on the singing themselves, both during live performances and in studio sessions. (Watch out, Hugh Jackman.)

All of this has only elevated the anticipation for the fifth season announcement of the “ManningCast”. They are set to begin brainstorming for the new season next month.

But in the meantime: “Honestly, we have 80% of a musical already,” Andrews shares with a touch of humor. “Why don’t we just keep going?”