Ryan Leaf made a surprising reveal on Friday, insinuating that his Father helped influence Eli Manning’s draft day trade in 2004.
Ryan Leaf and Peyton Manning are forever connected after being the first two players off the board in the 1998 NFL Draft — Manning first, Leaf second — but apparently his connection to the Manning family runs deeper than that.
While appearing on The Pat McAfee Show on Friday, Leaf revealed that Archie Manning called his Father to see how the Chargers had treated the quarterback and later used that input to help influence Eli Manning’s decision to demand a trade in the 2004 NFL Draft, ultimately landing with the New York Giants.
“Archie and his family had called my Father and wanted to know how they treated his son,” Leaf said. “And that was a huge part of [Eli demanding a trade]. Because, even as poorly as I behaved, there was no support. And for the longest time I held a resentment around that, but what was my part? I finally had to take a stock in that. But [Archie] did his due diligence. He called and like, ‘what happened when things went bad? What did they do to help support your son?’
“It wasn’t the only reason [for the trade], of course. [The Chargers] were not known for winning, they had been to one Super Bowl in a year that the head coach was then ushered out for Kevin Gilbride in Year 2.”
With a frustrated chuckle, Leaf then expanded on the irony of that.
“What’s ironic about the whole deal is that Gilbride gets fired my rookie year, he ends up in New York and wins two Super Bowls with Eli Manning as [his] offensive coordinator,” Leaf said.
While there have been many stories about that draft day trade and Eli’s refusal to play for the Chargers, this is the first time the NFL world has learned of Leaf’s involvement in the whole thing.
Arch Manning is the next signal-caller to come from football’s first family of quarterbacks.
NEW ORLEANS — Arch Manning is the next signal-caller to come from football’s first family of quarterbacks.
The 2023 prospect, who completed his freshman season starting at quarterback for Isidore Newman School (New Orleans, La.) in 2019, is the son of Cooper Manning. He comes from a family that has seen Archie (grandfather), Peyton and Eli (uncles) Manning have illustrious careers in college and the National Football League.
Peyton Manning (left), former Ole Miss quarterback Archie Manning (center), Cooper Manning (right) and Eli Manning (far right) on the bench at Vaught-Heningway Stadium. Michael C. Hebert-USA TODAY Sports
Isidore Newman had never had a freshman start at quarterback until last season when Arch totaled 2,407 passing yards and 34 touchdowns.
Nelson Stewart played at Isidore Newman alongside Cooper and Peyton and has been the Greenies’ head coach since 2006.
“Arch is the first teammate’s son I have ever had a chance to coach,” Stewart told Vols Wire. “All those years ago, I never thought it would be Cooper’s, and it has been a blessing.”
The latest Manning is dedicated to the sport of football as he continues to develop throughout his high school career.
“It looks like he is going to be real special,” Stewart said of his quarterback. “The biggest thing for us is that we never had a freshman start at quarterback. So that’s something that we have been fortunate to have a lot of success through our history, and we took a lot of our time and really used our 7on7s and offseason to really evaluate it and not push it forward. One of the things I say time and time again, obviously, I have known the Mannings my whole life playing with Peyton and Cooper, and I focus on his first name and not his last.
“The biggest thing about Arch is how rapidly he grew physically and mentally. He really took off in the offseason and worked really hard in the weight room and did not play baseball in the spring. He got in the weight room early with all of our players. All of a sudden you are looking at 5-foot-8 to about 6-foot-2 by the time the season started – 130 pounds to 160-165. He had a really nice year for us. He throws the ball incredibly well, has great footwork, he sets plays, he obviously has a really good football IQ, and again, his release and his decision-making.”
Even after early success and coming from a family that has produced some of the greatest quarterbacks in the sport’s history, the young signal-caller still amazed Stewart by producing as good a freshman season as he did in 2019.
“I wouldn’t have thought that Arch would have been all-state, all-district and all those things,” Stewart said. “That is never something you would expect from someone his age. He is very special, but very young and there is a lot of room for growth. That is why we try to handle him the way that we have in terms of taking steps to let him grow, mature and to keep the noise out with all of these early offers, that has really allowed him to grow.
“His parents have been wonderful, and obviously his grandparents; and it’s nice seeing a Manning. It kind of times out with one’s end with Eli and his amazing career, and it’s great to turn the page and look what is coming up. He is a really special quarterback when it comes to his intangibles. At this point, he hits every key mark and certainly we can’t wait for the next three years.”
Tennessee Volunteers quarterback Peyton Manning (16) tries to get his team mates pumped up for the fourth quarter of the Orange Bowl against Nebraska at Pro Player Stadium. Michael Patrick-USA TODAY NETWORK
It is uncertain where Manning will play collegiately or if he will follow in the family footsteps at the next level in the Southeastern Conference like Peyton did at Tennessee and Archie and Eli at Ole Miss.
Both Ole Miss and Tennessee’s programs have a trajectory to be in stable position in 2023 when Lane Kiffin is slated for his fourth season in Oxford and Jeremy Pruitt will be starting his sixth campaign for the Vols.
“The biggest thing in recruiting, it comes down to relationships and who you trust,” Stewart said. “You formulate it with bonds in terms of learning, and how guys coach and where programs are. In college football, things can change so fast.”
The entire interview with Stewart on the show “Tennessee Two-A-Days” can be listened to here or below.
There have been 65 SEC quarterbacks taken in the first round in the Super Bowl era. How have they done?
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Joe Burrow of LSU is the prohibitive favorite to be the No. 1 pick in the 2020 NFL Draft. He lit up the SEC in 2019, which sparked thought on how have quarterbacks chosen in the draft done since the Super Bowl era. The biggest names will be featured next to the year they were chosen.
LSU quarterback and potential No. 1 overall draft pick Joe Burrow has been seeking advice from Archie Manning and his sons.
Joe Burrow has been seeking advice from the Manning family as he prepares to enter the NFL.
The LSU quarterback has heard from Archie Manning — who played QB for the Saints from 1971-1982 — and two of Archie’s sons, Peyton and Cooper, according to The Athletic‘s Nicki Jhabvala.
After having played for the Tigers in Baton Rouge (a little more than an hour away from New Orleans), Burrow is aiming to “model his regimen” after the Mannings, who are football legends in the region.
“[I] try to be there as a resource . . . I try to be there like I would for any quarterback who has a question,” Manning said during an interview on 104.3 The Fan in January. “If I can help him, I’m certainly happy to try.”
Picking up tips from the Manning family should only make Burrow a better prospect. Not that he needs much help, though. Burrow is considered the favorite to be selected with the first overall pick in the NFL draft.
The Mahomes, Ryans, Mannings and Rivers are some families that have seen fathers and sons have careers in pro sports.
Fathers and sons have dotted the sports landscape, most recently coming to the front as Patrick Mahomes watched his son lead the Kansas City Chiefs to the Super Bowl championship. How many dads have won titles and their sons and how many have seen their offspring win when they didn’t?
The Mahomes
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While Patrick Mahomes pitched in MLB from 1992-2003, he never earned a World Series ring. His son, Patrick Mahomes II, however, will receive a Super Bowl ring for guiding the Chiefs to the NFL Championship.
Archie Manning says retired New York Giants QB Eli Manning isn’t bothered by or giving any thought to the Hall of Fame debate.
Retired New York Giants quarterback Eli Manning doesn’t let much get to him, so it should come as little surprise that the very emotional debate over his Hall of Fame candidacy goes in one ear and out the other.
Will Manning be enshrined in Canton five years from now? We think so, but he genuinely doesn’t care. Or so says his father, Archie Manning.
“No, I don’t think it bothers him at all,” Archie told TMZ Sports, adding that the Hall of Fame is far down the road. “He’s fine. Very content.
“Eli’s just finished up a long career … [he’s] looking forward to doing some things with his family.”
As far as the Giants, Archie believes they are in good hands post-Eli.
“The Giants are going to be fine. They’ve got a good young coach, good staff, good young quarterback. Giants are going to be on the rise,” Archie said. “[Daniel Jones is] a great young man.”
Archie added that he expects to see the Giants back in the playoffs soon, but offered no additional indication of what Eli might do in his post-retirement life.
Abby Manning and the entire Manning family deserve gratitude from New York Giants Nation for their part in an amazing 16-year journey.
Friday was Eli Manning’s day. He officially announced his retirement from professional football and was greeted with a sendoff that was befitting of his time with the New York Giants.
Manning was surrounded by owners, executives, agents, current teammates, former teammates and perhaps most importantly of all, his family — his wife, Abby, their four children, as well as his parents, Archie of Olivia.
It was an emotional moment for all. A 16-year journey was coming to an end, and for the first time in more than a decade and a half, Eli is now just a husband, a father and a son.
“I also want to take this opportunity to thank Olivia and Archie Manning for raising such an outstanding son and to Abby, for being so supportive of Eli for all these years. We would not be standing here today celebrating his great career, if not for everything you guys did,” co-owner John Mara said.
Manning’s career has undoubtedly taken a toll on his family. The long hours, the long seasons, the constant traveling… It’s a substantial storm to weather, especially for Abby, who has been at home taking care of four kids.
Manning made sure to recognize that in his speech.
“I don’t think I need to make public comments for my family to know how I think about them, but Abby, and to Ava and Lucy and Caroline and Charlie, you are my rock,” Manning said while holding back tears.
We all owe a bit of gratitude to Archie, Olivia, Abby and the four little ones. Without their love and patience, a move to New York and 16 years in the NFL may not have gone off without a hitch.
Where would the Giants be, and where would Eli have been without them holding down the fort behind-the-scenes?
Thank you to Abby and the whole Manning family for ensuring that the entirety of Giants Nation was able to go on this remarkably rewarding journey.
Archie and Peyton Manning both reached out to Broncos quarterback Drew Lock on Sunday after he helped Denver defeat the Chargers.
Broncos rookie quarterback Drew Lock made his NFL debut on Sunday and helped lead Denver to a 23-20 win over the Chargers. After the game, Lock received many positive text messages from family and friends. Lock’s favorite message came from former NFL quarterback Archie Manning.
“Archie Manning [said], ‘You can’t win them all if you don’t win your first,'” Lock said Wednesday. “That gave me a good giggle and gave me a good laugh. He’s so right. You can’t win them all if you don’t win your first. It was pretty cool to get a text from him and Peyton [Manning] as well. Being able to hear from those guys meant a lot.”
Peyton played in Denver from 2012-2015 and won the AFC West four straight times, helping the Broncos reach the Super Bowl twice. Peyton and his brother Eli help their dad, Archie, with the Manning Passing Academy each offseason. Lock got to know the Manning family as a counselor at the camp in 2018.
“It goes back to that camp,” Lock said of his relationship with the Mannings. “Getting close with them there, and then of course coming to Denver, that just amped the relationship up a little more.”
Lock completed 64.3 percent of his passes in Sunday’s game for 134 yards with two touchdown passes and one interception. He will start again against the Texans on the road in Week 14.
