Hall of Fame – 2025

When people think of Archie Manning, they think football. But Archie’s appeal transcends his athletic achievements. People far and wide have been inspired by his warm personality, his drive and sense of humor.  He still serves in public relations and consulting capacities for several local, regional, and national companies. 

Through the years his community activities included Louisiana Special Olympics, the New Orleans Area Boy Scout Council, the Salvation Army, United Way Speakers Bureau, Allstate Sugar Bowl Committee, and New Orleans Sports Foundation. For 25 years he hosted four Archie Manning Cystic Fibrosis benefit golf tournaments in Louisiana and Mississippi. He is Chairman of the Board of the National Football Foundation – College Hall of Fame. 

Archie was born May 19, 1949, in Drew, Mississippi. He attended the University of Mississippi where he was named an All-American Quarterback and his #18 is retired. He was voted Mississippi’s Greatest All-Time Athlete in 1992 and was named Mississippi’s Most Popular Athlete of the Century. He was elected to the 50-Year All South Team (1940-1990), named one of the Top 25 Athletes of the Century in Louisiana and he and his son Peyton were named among the 100 All-Time Greatest College Football Players. Archie was inducted into the National Football Foundation College Hall of Fame and is a member of other Halls of Fame including the Gator Bowl and Sugar Bowl and Louisiana and Mississippi Halls of Fame. He was named an American Spirit Medallion honoree by the World War II Museum and received the SEC’s Michael L. Slive Distinguished Service Award. In December 2022, Archie was recognized by the National College Football Awards Association for his contributions to college football. In 2023 from Nicholls State University, Archie received an Honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters. In 2024 the American Football Coaches Association named Archie the recipient of the Tuss McLaughry Award. 

In 1971, Archie was the second player chosen in the NFL draft – the number one draft choice of the New Orleans Saints. He set Saints passing records, played in Pro Bowls, and was named the NFC Most Valuable Player in 1978.  He concluded his 15-year career in 1985. He was the first player in Saints history to be inducted into the Louisiana Superdome Wall of Fame and was in the first class of the Saints Ring of Honor. He was named to the All 50th 

Saints team, recognized as one of the top 50 players in franchise history. Archie was an all-SEC shortstop at Ole Miss and was drafted four times by major league baseball. 

While in pro football, Archie received the Byron “Whizzer” White Humanitarian Award, the Bart Starr Humanitarian Award, the Spirit of Good Sports Award from the National Sportscasters and Sportswriters Association and the U.S. Jaycees named him one of 10 Outstanding Young Americans. In 2005 Archie received the Legends award from the Davey O’Brien Foundation and the Aspire award, a tribute to life’s coaches, from the Cal Ripken Foundation. Archie was honored by the United States Sports Academy with the 2006 Distinguished Service Award. He was selected Father of the Year by the National Father’s Day Council. Also, he received the Silver Buffalo, the Boy Scouts of America’s highest award. Archie received the Reds Bagnell Award from the Maxwell Football Club, was the 51st winner of the Bert Bell Award, and was honored at the Super Bowl in New Orleans with the Pat Summerall Award. He received the Distinguished American award from the Walter Camp Foundation. Archie and his wife Olivia were recipients of the National Pathfinder Award for their work in post-Hurricane Katrina. They also received the 2024 Heart of a Champion Award, presented by the American Heart Association at the Paul “Bear” Bryant Awards night. Archie received one of the highest honors in football, the Gold Medal Award, presented by the National Football Foundation. This award has gone to seven Presidents, Admirals and Generals, corporate CEOs, and other distinguished Americans. 

Archie and Olivia reside in New Orleans and have three sons, Cooper, Peyton, and Eli. They are the proud grandparents of four boys and five girls.

Archie, Cooper, Peyton and Eli were inducted into the inaugural class of the National High School Football Hall of Fame in 2023. 

Archie and Peyton wrote a book entitled “Manning: A Father, His Sons and A Football Legacy”. Peyton and Eli also wrote a children’s book entitled “Family Huddle”. Archie and his boys have operated the Manning Passing Academy, a summer camp for high school quarterbacks and receivers, for 28 years. Archie is an owner of Manning’s, a sports-themed restaurant on Fulton Street in New Orleans. 

The Manning family was named the second most inspiring family in America by Town & Country Magazine. In honor of the Mannings’ college football accomplishments, the Sugar Bowl created the Manning Award to go to the nation’s best college quarterback. They were featured in a highly rated documentary on ESPN entitled “The Book of Manning”. The indoor football practice facility at Ole Miss is named the “Olivia and Archie Manning Performance Center”. In 2014 the Manning family partnered with the University of Mississippi Medical Center and established “The Manning Family Fund” to help tackle health challenges in Mississippi.  

Recently, on its 70th birthday, Children’s Hospital in New Orleans was re-named Manning Family Children’s Hospital.