The Manning Family Shocked the NFL Again—Here’s Why Everyone’s Talking

Arch Manning: The Next Generation?

For the first time in over two decades, the NFL is without a Manning. However, a third-generation quarterback may soon change that.

Arch Manning, son of Cooper Manning, has done quite impressive in his sophomore season at the University of Texas. He played for Isidore Newman High School, breaking records held by both Peyton and Eli. During quarterback for the Texas Longhorns, Arch Manning, reached a top speed of 20.7 miles per hour in a 67-yard touchdown run against UTSA.

The junior Manning has also signed a massive deal with Red Bull for promoting their energy drinks and other sports products, increasing his NIL worth to 6.6 million US Dollars.

While some questioned whether his high ranking was due to his name or his talent, Arch has proved himself. In Texas’ 2024 spring game, he threw for 355 yards and three touchdowns, impressing scouts and media.

Though Quinn Ewers remains Texas’ starting quarterback, Arch is hot on his heels. With his pedigree and talent, the NFL may soon see another Manning under center.

Will Arch live up to the family legacy? Only time will tell.

How Did the NFL’s Most Famous Family Come to Be?

Was it their stardom on the field, or their drama off it? Why did perhaps the most talented member of the family never play a snap in an NFL game? How were they able to manipulate the draft so that their youngest son ended up in a premier NFL destination? And will they be adding a third generation to their NFL family tree?

While the NFL has seen families with three generations of players, none have been more influential than the Mannings. As arguably the NFL’s most decorated lineage, the Mannings consist of three Pro Bowl quarterbacks, all of whom were selected within the first two picks of their respective drafts. In total, they have four Lombardi trophies to their name.

The Mannings are well known in the NFL world, but how did they become such a prolific family of quarterbacks? And is the greatest among them still yet to come? Let’s take a look at how this family became the faces of the NFL and left a legacy that will never be forgotten.

Archie Manning

The Manning family’s rise to NFL greatness started in the small town of Drew, Mississippi, in 1949, when patriarch Archie Manning was born. Archie, the eldest of the Manning triad, was an incredibly gifted athlete from an early age. Immersed in football and baseball, he excelled in both sports and was drafted into Major League Baseball four separate times, as well as into the NFL when the New Orleans Saints selected him 2nd overall out of Ole Miss in 1971.

As an NFL quarterback, Archie’s talent was on full display, making two Pro Bowls during his time with the Saints. However, his talent on the field ultimately never amounted to much, as he and the Saints had only one winning season in his nine years as a quarterback.

Upon retirement, after stints with both the Oilers and Vikings, Archie finished his NFL career with the worst win percentage in league history among quarterbacks with 100 starts, ending with a disappointing 35-103-3 record. While Archie was a talented quarterback, his team failed him on the field. For nearly a decade, he played on a Saints team that lacked sufficient talent on both sides of the ball, proving too much for the eldest Manning to overcome.

Beyond football, Archie was also a family man. He married his college sweetheart, Olivia, and together they had three sons: Cooper, Peyton, and Eli—all of whom became football stars.

Cooper Manning

Cooper, the eldest of the three Manning brothers, was the only wide receiver in the family. A highly touted prospect coming out of high school, he ultimately signed with his father Archie’s alma mater, Ole Miss.

Cooper was phenomenal in high school and was arguably the most talented of the three brothers in their youth. He seemed to be on a fast track to the pros. However, before the start of his collegiate career, Cooper began feeling numbness in his extremities.

After medical evaluation, doctors diagnosed him with spinal stenosis, a narrowing of the spinal column that makes contact sports extremely dangerous. As a result, Cooper was forced to retire from football before his career even began.

Peyton Manning

While Cooper’s football career was cut short, the middle Manning brother’s certainly was not. Peyton Manning, also known as The Sheriff, was as highly touted as quarterbacks come.

Following in his father’s footsteps, Peyton was a high school star at Isidore Newman High School in New Orleans. He wore the number 18 to honor his older brother Cooper. Peyton had immense success, winning Gatorade National Player of the Year and receiving offers from as many as 60 Division I programs.

However, his college decision was a controversial one. Instead of attending Ole Miss like his father and brother, Peyton chose the University of Tennessee. Fans were outraged, flooding the Manning household with angry phone calls and letters.

Despite the controversy, Peyton excelled at Tennessee. He took over as the starter in the fourth game of his freshman season and never looked back. He finished as the Vols’ all-time leading passer with over 11,000 yards and won 39 of 45 games as a starter.

However, his college career was not without controversy. In his junior year, trainer Dr. Jamie Ann Naughtright alleged that Peyton sexually assaulted her. Manning denied the allegations, and the school settled with Naughtright for $300,000 in 2002.

In his senior year (1997), Peyton had his best season yet, finishing with career highs in both passing yards and touchdowns while leading Tennessee to a 10-1 regular season record. His greatest moment came in the SEC Championship Game against Auburn, where he led a stunning comeback victory, throwing for over 370 yards and four touchdowns and earning the game’s MVP trophy.

Peyton was widely regarded as a generational quarterback talent and was selected 1st overall by the Indianapolis Colts in the 1998 NFL Draft. He became an immediate starter and played 13 full seasons for the Colts, winning four MVP awards and Super Bowl 41, where he was named MVP.

After suffering a neck injury that sidelined him for the entire 2011 season, Peyton was released by the Colts. However, he wasn’t finished. He signed with the Denver Broncos, won another MVP award in 2013, and led Denver to victory in Super Bowl 50.

After the Super Bowl win, Peyton retired, cementing his legacy as one of the greatest quarterbacks in NFL history. Since then, he has remained in the spotlight, hosting ESPN’s “Peyton’s Places” and co-hosting Monday Night Football’s ManningCast with his brother Eli.

Eli Manning

Eli Manning, the youngest of the three Manning brothers, followed in his father and brother’s footsteps to the NFL. He played for Isidore Newman High School, setting records for career passing yards and touchdowns.

Unlike Peyton, Eli chose to attend the family alma mater, Ole Miss. He built his own legacy, winning the Maxwell Award and Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award.

In the 2004 NFL Draft, Eli was widely considered the best quarterback prospect. However, controversy struck when Archie Manning influenced the draft process, ensuring that Eli would not play for the San Diego Chargers, who held the 1st overall pick. Instead, the Chargers selected Eli and then traded him to the New York Giants.

Eli became the Giants’ starting quarterback in his rookie season. In 2007, he led them to one of the greatest upsets in NFL history, defeating the undefeated New England Patriots in Super Bowl 42. Four years later, he did it again, leading the Giants to victory in Super Bowl 46 over the Patriots.

Despite his two Super Bowl wins, Eli’s later years were less successful. He retired in 2019 with a career record of 117 wins and 117 losses, making him one of the most debated Hall of Fame candidates in recent memory.

Final Thoughts

The Manning family has left an unforgettable mark on the NFL. From Archie’s perseverance to Peyton and Eli’s Super Bowl victories, their story is one of greatness. Now, the football world watches eagerly as Arch prepares to carry on the legacy.

Will he become the greatest Manning yet? The next chapter is just beginning.