In 1999, quarterback Eli Manning committed to the Ole Miss Rebels for his college football career, and he was “nervous,” but not about following in his father Archie Manning's footsteps, but rather, his brother Cooper.
Eli and Archie Manning returned to Ole Miss to talk about their football journeys for an episode of Eli's Places. The Manning family's patriarch conceded that they were “concerned” that Eli would “feel pressure” playing for the Rebels. After all, Archie was a legend on campus, and his youngest son would have big shoes to fill.
However, Eli was not “nervous” about following in his father's footsteps. The pressure of being Peyton Manning's little brother didn't even get to him, as Peyton was already in the NFL at that point. He was concerned that Cooper Manning could get him in trouble since they looked alike.
“I wasn't really nervous about following in your footsteps,” Eli told his dad, “I was more nervous about Coop. He was a social legend here. I was really worried that since we looked kind of similar, he'd be out at the bars on Friday night and they'd think it's me, [and] he might get me in trouble.”
Luckily for Eli, Cooper did not get him into any trouble during his time at Ole Miss. “Fortunately, my older brother, Cooper, didn't get into too much trouble impersonating me,” Eli concedes.
How did Eli Manning's career at Ole Miss go?
Just like his father, Eli Manning became a legend at Ole Miss, and he had his jersey retired by the team in 2021. For the longest time, Manning was the Rebels' leading passer.
He threw for 10,119 yards throughout his four-year career. Eli would hold the top spot on Ole Miss' passing records for years until Jaxson Dart came around. Dart has gone on to be drafted by the New York Giants in the first round of the 2025 NFL Draft.
Eli was also drafted by the Giants. His Ole Miss career helped him become a top prospect in the 2004 NFL Draft. He was selected by the then-San Diego Chargers with the first overall pick in the NFL Draft.
However, he would not want to play for them. This led to a blockbuster trade that sent Manning to New York. He would go on to win two Super Bowls with the Giants.
