Manning Award

The Manning Award has been presented annually since 2004 to the collegiate American football quarterback adjudged by the Sugar Bowl Committee to be the best in the United States. It is the only quarterback award that includes each candidate's postseason-bowl performance in its balloting.

The award is named in honor of former University of Mississippi (Ole Miss) quarterback Archie Manning and his quarterback sons Peyton and Eli. Archie was also the quarterback for the NFL New Orleans Saints, Houston Oilers, and Minnesota Vikings. Peyton was a star quarterback at the University of Tennessee as well as with the Indianapolis Colts, and the Denver Broncos. Eli was also a star quarterback at Ole Miss and is the current quarterback of the NFL's New York Giants. Both Peyton and Eli were All-America selections during their college careers and both have led their respective professional teams to Super Bowl championships (Peyton with the Indianapolis Colts in Super Bowl XLI and with the Broncos in Super Bowl 50, and Eli with the New York Giants in Super Bowls XLII and XLVI). Both have won the Super Bowl MVP award, Eli twice. Archie was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1989. All the award winners have gone on to be drafted in the first round of the NFL Draft except Colt McCoy, who was drafted in the third round. Peyton was also inducted to the College Football Hall of Fame in 2017.