Netflix announces new NFL series after numerous 'Quarterback' rejections

Netflix is taking its NFL docuseries in a new direction with "Receiver," after some players turned down the chance to be part of another series of "Quarterback."

The streaming giant gave fans a peek into the lives of quarterbacks, and now it's time for their favourite targets to shine. On Tuesday, Netflix announced an eight-episode series called "Receiver," which follows on from last year's "Quarterback."

This new series will focus on five top pass catchers during the 2023 NFL season. The stars of the show will be Las Vegas Raiders' Davante Adams, San Francisco 49ers' George Kittle and Deebo Samuel, Minnesota Vikings' Justin Jefferson, and Detroit Lions' Amon-Ra St. Brown.

The series is a joint effort by NFL Films, Patrick Mahomes' 2PM Productions, and Peyton Manning's Omaha Productions. It was widely thought that Netflix would make another series of 'Quarterback', but many players declined the opportunity to follow in Patrick Mahomes' footsteps.

Jalen Hurts of the Philadelphia Eagles, Pittsburgh Steelers' Justin Fields, Miami Dolphins ace Tua Tagoviloa, Matthew Stafford of the Los Angeles Rams, and Sam Howell from the Seattle Seahawks all said no, likely leading to the switch to wide receivers.

Gabe Spitzer, Netflix's vice president of nonfiction sports, shared: "The natural progression is from a pass to a catch, so we're excited to dive into the 'Receiver' world after the success of our 'Quarterback' series," He added that "NFL Films, Omaha Productions and 2PM Productions have delivered again in finding unique and dynamic athletes who will further highlight the drama of this sport on and off the field."

Manning expressed his enthusiasm: "We are excited to be working again with Netflix and NFL Films to give fans unprecedented access to what it's like to play receiver at the highest level," He added: "As we did with 'Quarterback,' we look forward to telling the stories of five incredible receivers, each with their unique personality, skillset and motivation for what drives them to be the best."

Netflix's prior "Quarterback" series featured faces like Patrick Mahomes from Kansas City Chiefs, ex-Minnesota Vikings player Kirk Cousins and ex-Atlanta Falcons player Marcus Mariota. Though the show was a success, Manning revealed it wasn't easy selecting the stars of the show.

"Season 2 has been greenlit by Netflix, we're excited, we're hoping for more quarterbacks, it's easier to say yes," Manning shared on The Pat McAfee Show last July. "I don't want to hear 'It's going to be a distraction' because that's not true, Patrick Mahomes proved that, Kirk Cousins proved that, Marcus, the way he handled that, proved that."

"We're hoping that guys after seeing it say this is going to be a cool thing that I can show to my kids when I'm older, show to my grandkids one day. Hopefully the pitch will be easier."

* An AI tool was used to add an extra layer to the editing process for this story.