Arnold Schwarzenegger brings donkey to ManningCast, then The Terminator disappears

The ManningCast got a bonus guest when Arnold Schwarzenegger joined Peyton Manning and Eli Manning during their "Monday Night Football" simulcast.

The action hero star brought his pet donkey. In fact, as the New York Jets battled the Los Angeles Chargers during the first quarter, the ManningCast cameras showed Schwarzenegger handfeeding the donkey.

Shortly into Schwarzenegger’s guest appearance, the donkey faded from view. That wasn’t the only disappearance.

Heading into a commercial break, "The Terminator" star said on cue, “We’ll be back.’’

Yet when the ManningCast resumed, "The Terminator" was gone.

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“That donkey ate the heck out of that WiFi,’’ Peyton Manning cracked of Schwarzenegger’s departure.

Added Eli Manning, “It’s official. Arnold is not coming back.’’

Wait, more animals on ManningCast?

Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence joined the Manning brothers after the unexpected exit of Arnold and, appropriately enough, sat in front of a jaguar. But unlik Schwarzenegger, he was not hand-feeding the animal.

There was a good reason for that.

The jaguar behind him was a painting, Lawrence clarified with a smile, a gift from his brother and sister-and-law.

Arnold sees athletes getting pump up

Rather than reflect on his own weightlifting process, he shared observations about how sports has regarded weightlifting.

“Now the thing about it is all of the football players are working out so hard,’’ he said. “They lift so many heavy weights and they’re so powerful. It’s like unbelievable. …

“In my days, when I came over to America, weightlifters did the lifting and the football players did the football playing, but they didn’t do any lifting. They always thought it would slow you down and it will make you muscle-bound and it is unhealthy for you and all those kind of things. Then as time went on, I saw the changes ... the football players lifting more weights and they become better and better all the time and really combine the speed and the endurance and power.’’

Now, Schwarzenegger said, he sees weightlifting embraced across all sports, including golf, soccer and wrestling.

“Everyone started lifting weights and it became kind of a big thing,’’ he said.

Jets dis on ManningCast

Toward the end of the first half, Peyton asked if Lawrence would stay on the telecast for one more series and that it was optional.

“Yeah,’’ Lawrence replied, “let’s see this Jets drive.’’

Interjected Eli, “You want to see a Jets drive? No one has said that all year.’’