Eli Manning is taking some heat from a few fans for his gesture during a Monday Nigth Football broadcast. According to TMZ, the Federal Communications Commission received three complaints about Manning giving the double-middle-finger during ESPN 2’s Manningcast back in September when talking about how intense Philadelphia Eagles fans can be. Manning apologized for the gesture, but that didn’t stop a few viewers from asking for him to be punished.
“On ESPN ‘Monday Night Football’ Eli Manning used profane gestures that were despicable and unacceptable and fines should be levied,” the viewer from West Chester, Pennsylvania said in the complaint, per TMZ. “Young Americans should never be exposed to something like that, it was disgusting.”
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Another fan wrote: “Mr. Manning’s actions are offensive to me as a viewer. It was also offensive as a Philadelphia native and sports fan. There was young children watching that broadcast last evening. The FCC should take all appropriate enforcement actions against Mr. Manning and/or ESPN for Mr. Manning’s conduct to hold them accountable to send the message that that type of behavior (even if he was re-telling a story) is not acceptable, including all appropriate fines.”
TMZ went on to say that a third person from Tumwater, Washington told the FCC that Manning should be banned from the airwaves. It’s highly unlikely the FCC will do anything to Manning or ESPN for the gesture since it was an accident. During the broadcast, Manning issued an apology.
“Alright, alright, sorry. Earlier, I gave the double bird. I guess that’s frowned upon, so I apologize if I offended anybody. I thought — that a 9-year-old did to me, I thought I could do it back. Chris, I blame you for that,” Manning said, per CBS Sports. Despite that incident, fans have been raving about the Manning cast with Eli and Peyton Manning. The brothers didn’t call Monday’s game between the Pittsburgh Steelers and Chicago Bears since they are only scheduled to broadcast 10 of the 17 games this season.
“It’s been fun. It’s very unscripted” Eli Manning said on the podcast 10 Questions. “It’s just two brothers hanging out, talking football and making fun of each other. It’s just kind of how Peyton and I would really watch a football game if we were sitting on the couch…those are kind of things we would say, we tease each other, and I think it’s playing well on TV.”
