The worst-kept secret in sports media is the desire by various networks to land former NFL quarterback Peyton Manning in the booth, with Manning serving as the "top choice" for both Fox ("Thursday Night Football") and ESPN ("Monday Night Football"). Turns out, Fox is being even greedier and wants to double down on its quarterback focus for the new Thursday night package it landed this offseason.

According to the New York Post, the "dream" situation for Thursday nights in 2018 involves having current Fox broadcaster Troy Aikman on the pregame show that is broadcast either from the location of the game or from a Los Angeles studio, with the goal of making "TNF" "a prime-time event." 

Aikman, of course, is part of the top broadcasting team on Fox along with partner Joe Buck. It's widely considered impossible for Aikman and Buck to do both "TNF" and the Sunday game on Fox, because of Buck's commitment to the Major League Baseball postseason. 

Part of the "dream" situation here involves Aikman passing the baton to another Hall of Fame quarterback (Manning just has to wait the full five years before being eligible, he'll be a first-ballot guy) in the booth, as Fox is hoping to lure Manning out of his retirement state and into calling the games on Thursdays. 

The big selling point for the former Colts and Broncos quarterback would be allowing him to spend weekends with his family and not on location for whatever game he'd call; Manning could work leading up to Thursday night and then be done until the next week once Friday rolled around. It's believed that is an attractive selling point.

Additionally, Fox is slated to be able to offer Manning a playoff game, with it being reported that Fox will have ESPN's wild-card playoff game. 

So it appears the onus is on Manning to make a decision. He's going to get the full-court press from Fox and if he agrees, we're going to see him in the booth for the first time. It's very possible he'll be getting a segue from another guy who wears a gold jacket.