Eli Manning

About Eli Manning

Elisha Nelson "Eli" Manning (born January 3, 1981 in New Orleans, Louisiana) is an American football quarterback for the New York Giants of the National Football League. He is the younger brother of Peyton Manning and Cooper Manning and the son of Archie Manning and Olivia Manning. He played college football at the University of Mississippi after attending high school at Isidore Newman School in New Orleans. Manning was the MVP of Super Bowl XLII on February 3, 2008, in which he led the Giants to an upset victory over the New England Patriots.

Manning was drafted by the San Diego Chargers with the first overall pick in the 2004 NFL Draft. However, a draft-day trade sent Manning to the Giants in return for the fourth overall pick Philip Rivers, a third round selection in the 2004 NFL Draft and the Giants' first- and fifth-round picks in the 2005 NFL Draft.

Prior to deciding which college to attend, Manning received a call from David Cutcliffe, formerly the offensive coordinator at the University of Tennessee. Cutcliffe had been hired as the head coach at Ole Miss and had previously helped Eli's older brother Peyton improve his game. Upon learning Cutcliffe was now in charge of the Rebel program, the 18-year-old followed his father’s footsteps, and made his way to Oxford, Mississippi.