'ManningCast' Week 7 guests: Aaron Rodgers, Klay Thompson to appear in 49ers-Vikings 'MNF' game

After a week off, two of the most famous SEC and NFL quarterbacks of the past 30 years will be back on the airwaves on Monday.

Brothers Peyton and Eli Manning will return for an ESPN “ManningCast” to provide commentary and lend insight during the Week 7 “Monday Night Football” game between the San Francisco 49ers and Minnesota Vikings at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis.

MORE: Watch 'ManningCast' live with Fubo (free trial)

The matchup should be a compelling one between the 49ers (5-1) and Vikings who, at 2-4, are in desperate need of a turnaround. San Francisco and Minnesota were the Nos. 2 and 3 playoff seeds, respectively, in the NFC last season.

Beyond the on-field action, the “ManningCast,” now in its third season, has become an entertaining and informative accompaniment to ESPN’s primary “Monday Night Football” broadcast featuring Joe Buck and Troy Aikman. Peyton and Eli's broadcasts have also become known for their interviews with select guests, with the interviewee often having a tie of some sort to one (or both) of the teams playing.

To get you ready for tonight’s “ManningCast,” let’s take a look at which guests will be joining the Manning brothers as the 49ers and Vikings clash:

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Who are 'ManningCast' guests in Week 7?

• Aaron Rodgers, New York Jets quarterback

• Klay Thompson, Golden State Warriors guard

• Tiffany Haddish, actress and comedian

Though Rodgers has never played for either team in Monday night’s game, he’s closely associated with them both.

Rodgers was born in Chico, California — about 160 miles northeast of San Francisco — where he grew up a fan of the 49ers. His ties to the region were only strengthened when he played his final two college seasons at Cal.

He had the opportunity to be drafted by the 49ers with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2005 NFL Draft, but his childhood team passed on him in favor of Utah’s Alex Smith. After he was selected by the Green Bay Packers with the No. 24 overall pick, Rodgers was asked how disappointed he was to not be picked by San Francisco, to which he famously replied "Not as disappointed as the 49ers will be that they didn't draft me."

The 49ers became a frequent playoff foe for Rodgers. From 2013-22, Rodgers’ Packers squared off against the 49ers four times in the postseason, losing each matchup. Rodgers faced off much more frequently against the Vikings, one of the Packers’ historical rivals. He had much more success against Minnesota than he did San Francisco, compiling a 17-11-1 record against the Vikings over the course of his time in Green Bay.

Thompson’s inclusion in Monday night’s festivities is much more straightforward.

The star shooting guard is entering his 13th season in the NBA, all with the Golden State Warriors, who play their games in San Francisco. Thompson is a five-time All-Star and four-time NBA champion, having paired with Steph Curry throughout his career to form one of the best backcourts in NBA history. The Warriors' 2023-24 season starts Tuesday night with a game against the Phoenix Suns.

Aside from being California natives and professional athletes, he and Rodgers share at least one other similarity: Thompson tore his Achilles tendon in Nov. 2020, forcing him to miss the entire 2021-22 season and much of the 2021-22 season.

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What channel is 'ManningCast' on tonight?

• TV channel: ESPN2

• Stream: ESPN app, Fubo (free trial)

• Time: 8:13 p.m. ET

The “ManningCast” will be on its customary home on ESPN2 Monday night, with the action starting at 8:13 p.m. ET. Streaming options for the game include the ESPN app and Fubo, the latter of which offers a free trial to potential subscribers.

'ManningCast' 2023 schedule

This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: 'ManningCast' Week 7 guests include Aaron Rodgers, Klay Thompson