Part of the fun of the ManningCast to date has been discovering what an entertaining goof Eli Manning can be. From double birds to “I’m like Shakira” dancing to fire alarms, Eli’s been an enjoyable and memorable part of those broadcasts.
Eli has also wound up featured in other things, including appearing on a MSG Networks/Caesars interview series with J.B. Smoove and hosting his own Eli’s Places ESPN+ series. That’s part of the larger universe of “Places” series, which all started with Peyton’s Places. And the second season of Eli’s Places has a particularly notable installment dropping Wednesday, with Eli going “undercover” at Penn State as walk-on quarterback “Chad Powers”:
It’s not particularly clear to what level the Nittany Lions’ players were fooled here before the eventual reveal. But it is certainly enjoyable to see Manning dress up this way and throw some balls at a Penn State practice. And that hair is a fun look for him. Props to him and to Penn State coach James Franklin for trying out this bit.
While Peyton’s Places has often focused on professional football, Eli’s Places has been more focused on the college game. In addition to Penn State, this second season has seen stops at Florida (where Manning talked with Tim Tebow about the famed “The Promise” speech), Notre Dame, USC, BYU, and more. Wednesday will mark the debut of the seventh episode of nine this season, with the final two debuting next Wednesday.
[ESPN on YouTube]
