Archie Manning, a retired American football quarterback, best remembered for his time with the New Orleans Saints in the National Football League (NFL), was a member of the Saints from 1971 to 1982 and played for the Houston Oilers and the Minnesota Vikings afterward. While in college, he played for the Ole Miss Rebels football team at the University of Mississippi, and he was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1989.
Manning was born on May 19, 1949, in Drew, Mississippi, to Jane Elizabeth and Elisha Archibald Jr. Manning. In his youth, he had a passion for sports such as football, basketball, and baseball. His father, known as "Buddy," was supportive of his son's sports interests, but his employment required him to be away from the games for long periods of time. On the other hand, James Hobson, a high school athlete in the area, provided inspiration for Archie III. In the absence of her husband, his mother was "always there at all of his games, no matter what sport or level he was playing." It was as Archie that the Braves, White Sox, and Royals all took a chance on Manning when he was a student at Drew High School in New Jersey in 1967. In the summer of 1969, Archie Manning, who was home from college, discovered the body of his father, Buddy Manning, who had taken his own life. His mother persuaded him to stay in college and not ruin his promising football career, which Manning discussed in the biopic-documentary Book of Manning, which was made into a film.
The New Orleans Saints selected Manning in the second round of the 1971 NFL Draft. He played for the team for ten seasons, during which the Saints had nine consecutive losing seasons, only finishing above third place in their category once, in 1979. Despite this, he was highly regarded by his peers in the NFL. Sports Illustrated senior writer Paul Zimmerman said in 2007 that Manning's Saints career sack total should have been greater than 337. Jack Youngblood, an opposing defensive lineman, was known for going easy on Manning, and Manning himself told the Los Angeles Times on September 23, 1974 that he was grateful for Youngblood's generosity. Manning stated that without him, Youngblood's career would have been much less successful and that he wouldn't have been inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2001 without Manning to sack.
During his tenure with the Saints, Manning was the league's top passer in 1972, leading the NFC in passing yards and completions. He missed the whole 1976 season after corrective surgery on his right shoulder and was named NFC Player of the Year by UPI in 1978 after leading the Saints to a 7–9 record. He was a member of the Pro Bowl in 1978 and 1979. After retiring, he had time with the Houston Oilers and the Minnesota Vikings. He threw 2,011 of 3,642 passes for 23,911 yards and 125 touchdowns, with 173 interceptions, in his 13-year career as a quarterback. He rushed for an additional 2,197 yards and 18 touchdowns. He finished his career with 2,011 career completions, good for 17th all-time in the National Football League. With a record of 35–101–3, he had the worst start-to-finish percentage of any quarterback in NFL history with at least 100 starts (26.3 percent). He is one of the few players in the NFL who has not appeared in a postseason game in ten years or more. The Saints have not reproduced Manning's No. 8 since he left the team in the middle of the 1982 season.
As a Southeastern Conference Most Valuable Player, Archie Manning has been awarded the National Banner Trophy and Walter Camp Memorial Trophy. In 1969, he finished fourth, and in 1970, he finished third in the Heisman Trophy voting. In 1989, the College Football Hall of Fame enshrined Manning. Manning was drafted by the New Orleans Saints in the 1971 NFL Draft, and he played for ten seasons with the team. Despite the Saints losing nine seasons during his time in New Orleans, he was one of the team's best players. Manning was well-liked by NFL players despite being sacked 340 times over the course of his football career. In 1972, Manning led the NFL in passing yards, completions, and attempts. However, the team's overall record was 2-11-1. He missed the entire 1976 season due to surgery on his right shoulder. Following a season in which the Saints finished 7-9, he was named UPI Player of the Year. The Sporting News and United Press International both named him All-NFC in the same year.
Manning's wife, Olivia, met while they were both students at Ole Miss. Cooper, Peyton, and Eli are the couple's three children. Cooper was diagnosed with spinal stenosis prior to his senior year of high school, resulting in the end of his football career. Peyton was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2021, and Eli was inducted in 2016. Cooper's eldest son, the 2023 Heisman Trophy winner Arch Cooper, is a highly touted high school quarterback.
| Birth Date: | 19 May, 1949 |
| Age: | 70 yrs |
| Occupations: | American football player |
| Citizenship: | United States of America |
| Birth Place: | Drew |
| Education: | Drew High School |
| Gender: | Male |
| Description: | American football player |
| Net Worth 2021: | 10 million |
