Cooper, Peyton, Eli … and Trevor?!
Yes, Saints quarterback Trevor Siemian has heard that he physically resembles a Manning brother, and as he told the media Wednesday, he doesn’t hate it.
“I take it as a compliment, I guess,” Siemian said with a laugh.
Given Siemian’s current post as the quarterback of the Saints, he technically does have ties to the Manning football family tree. From 1971 to 1982, patriarch Archie Manning, 72, played under center in New Orleans.
Sons Peyton, 45, and Eli, 40, later followed in Archie’s footsteps by becoming NFL quarterbacks for the Colts and Giants, respectively. Peyton, a two-time Super Bowl champ, finished his career in 2015 with the Broncos, who coincidentally drafted Siemian that year.
Eli was drafted by the Giants in 2004 and brought two Super Bowl titles to New York. He announced his retirement in January 2020 after 16 seasons. He and Peyton now broadcast their own show on ESPN2 during “Monday Night Football.”
Cooper, 47, the eldest of the three Manning brothers, was diagnosed with spinal stenosis, which is the narrowing of spaces within the spine that can potentially put pressure on the nerves that travel through the spine, according to the Mayo Clinic. His football career was cut short ahead of his freshman season at Ole Miss in 1992, per Fox Sports.
Cooper’s son, 16-year-old Arch Manning, is an up-and-coming prospect who could looks poised to add a branch to the Manning football family tree.
With Siemian starting for the Saints (5-4) on Sunday, perhaps the 29-year-old quarterback can channel some athletic Manning magic against the Eagles (4-6).
