Eli Manning jokes about wanting 'COVID year' of eligibility at Ole Miss

On3 imageby:Nick Kosko05/11/23

nickkosko59

Eli Manning is an Ole Miss legend with his No. 10 retired by the program following a stellar career in college. The two-time Super Bowl MVP hasn’t played since 2019 following his retirement from the game, but joked about wanting one more season under center.

And no, it wasn’t to play for the Giants. It was to play for Ole Miss one last time because he loves college football that much.

Manning made the joke during his induction into the Cotton Bowl Hall of Fame.

“About 12 of us at all redshirted, and you know so (we were) fifth year seniors,” Manning said of his final year at Ole Miss in 2023. “Then we go and play our last game together, so getting to share that and share a win with them (was great and I) actually reached out last year. I love college football so much, I asked if I could get back my COVID year, and go back to college and play a sixth year, but I got rejected.”

Manning played just six games in 2000 as a redshirt freshman, but started the next three years. He finished his college career with 10,286 yards, 84 touchdowns, 36 interceptions and a 60.8% completion percentage.

He was the No. 1 overall pick by the then-San Diego Chargers and promptly traded to the New York Giants.

Manning has an argument for the Pro Football Hall of Fame. He won two Super Bowls with the Giants and holds the franchise records for passing yards, touchdown passes and completions.

Manning also never missed a game due to injury and ranks in the top 10 all-time in passing yards and touchdowns.

He finished his career with 57,023 yards, 366 touchdowns, 244 interceptions and a 60.3% completion percentage.

Eli Manning brings back Chad Powers costume

While Manning won’t be playing for Ole Miss anymore, even with eligibility rules being vastly different now, he brought back his character Chad Powers.

Manning dressed up as the character at a Penn State practice and fooled many players on the team as a new quarterback trying out for the Nittany Lions. He brought back the costume for Halloween in 2022.

Manning posted a picture with his family on Halloween, just before the clock turned to the trick-or-treating hour. He doesn’t have the same custom make-up that he received from ESPN when doing his famous skit — and it’s pretty clear.

The mask looked like Chad Powers’ evil twin, or something. But, very few Halloween costumes are perfect, so we’ll let Manning slide on this one.