National Football League

Netflix to release docuseries 'Receiver' in spinoff of 'Quarterback'

Updated Mar. 19, 2024 12:33 p.m. ET

The hit "Quarterback" docuseries ended up getting a second season after all, but with a twist.

Netflix announced that it's picking up and distributing a docuseries focused on some of the NFL's top catchers called "Receiver." The Las Vegas Raiders' Davante Adams, the Minnesota Vikings' Justin Jefferson, the Detroit Lions' Amon-Ra St. Brown and the San Francisco 49ers' George Kittle and Deebo Samuel are the five players who'll be featured in the series.

Similar to "Quarterback," "Receiver" will give fans a behind-the-scenes look at some of the NFL's top stars during the 2023 season as they were "navigating tremendous pressures both on and off the field," Netflix shared in a press release. The series will be produced by Peyton Manning's Omaha Productions, NFL Films and 2PM Productions, who collaborated to create "Quarterback" in 2023.

"As we did with 'Quarterback,' we look forward to telling the stories of five incredible receivers, each with their unique personality, skill set, and motivation for what drives them to be the best," said Manning, who's an executive producer for the upcoming show, in a press release.

"We were thrilled last summer to see audiences all over the world diving into the lives of NFL quarterbacks," NFL Films supervising producer Joe Zucco added in a statement shared by Netflix. "We believe the extraordinary skills, dedication, and passion of the NFL's great wide receivers — and one tight end — will make a perfect follow-up."

"Quarterback," which starred Patrick Mahomes, Kirk Cousins and Marcus Mariota, became a quick hit upon its release last summer, and was the most-watched show on Netflix at one point. While the series showed what it took from Mahomes to help the Kansas City Chiefs win Super Bowl LVII, Cousins received a lot of praise for showing his personality in the series.

Despite "Quarterback" becoming a hit show among NFL fans, the creators of the show reportedly had a tough time trying to find quarterbacks willing to take part in the second season. Many quarterbacks said they turned down or didn't have interest in participating in the show ahead of the 2023 season.

"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," Netflix vice president of nonfiction sports Gabe Spitzer said in a statement. "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."

All five players featured in the series had standout seasons in 2023, continuing to perform among the best at their position. They were also at the center of interesting storylines, too. Adams was part of a Raiders team that grew frustrated during the first half of the season before Josh McDaniels was fired. Jefferson entered the season without a contract extension and eventually missed time due to injury after winning Offensive Player of the Year in 2022.

St. Brown played a pivotal role in the Lions' emergence as a title contender, helping Detroit reach the NFC Championship Game. His Lions squad fell to Kittle's and Samuel's 49ers team just one game shy of the Super Bowl, where San Francisco lost to Kansas City.

The eight-episode series will be released in the summer.