How Many Years Did Archie Manning Play In The NFL?

Archie Manning played in the NFL for 16 seasons, from 1971 to 1986. He was a Pro Bowl selection six times and was named the NFL Most Valuable Player in 1978.

NFL Career

Archie Manning played in the NFL for 16 seasons, from 1971 to 1984. He was drafted by the New Orleans Saints in the first round of the 1971 NFL Draft and he played for the Saints for 10 seasons. He then played for the Houston Oilers for three seasons and for the Minnesota Vikings for his final three seasons.

Drafted by the New Orleans Saints

Archie Manning was drafted by the New Orleans Saints as the second overall pick in the 1971 NFL Draft. He played for the Saints from 1971 to 1982, then for the Houston Oilers from 1982 to 1983. He retired from the NFL after the 1983 season.

Traded to the Houston Oilers

In 1971, the New Orleans Saints traded Manning to the Houston Oilers for an unprecedented package of draft picks that included first- and second-round selections in the 1972 NFL Draft. The first player chosen with one of those two picks was defensive end Otis Sistrunk, who became a regular starter for the Oakland Raiders; the second player was wide receiver Ken Burrough, who had a productive career with the Oilers.

Signed with the Minnesota Vikings

In 1971, the NFL held a draft to determine which team would gain the first pick and have the opportunity to sign Archie Manning. The Baltimore Colts had the first pick, but ultimately decided not to sign Manning due to concerns about his health. The Minnesota Vikings ended up signing him instead.

Manning’s rookie year was not particularly successful; he only played in two games and completed seven out of seventeen pass attempts. He did not see any playing time during his second year with the team. In 1973, Manning was traded to the New Orleans Saints in exchange for three draft picks.

College Career

Archie Manning played football for the University of Mississippi from 1968 to 1969. As a freshman, he led the team to an upset win over Alabama.

University of Mississippi

Archie Manning played college football at the University of Mississippi (Ole Miss) from 1968 to 1970. He is the father of current NFL quarterbacks Peyton Manning and Eli Manning.

Southeastern Conference

Archie Manning played for the Southeastern Conference (SEC) from 1969 to 1971. He was a two-time All-SEC selection and was named the SEC Player of the Year in 1971. Manning also won the Maxwell Award and the Walter Camp Award in 1971. He was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1989.

High School Career

Archie Manning played football for the first time in his sophomore year of high school. He was a quarterback on the junior varsity team, but he did not get much playing time. In his senior year, Manning was the starting quarterback on the varsity team.

Isidore Newman School

Archie Manning attended Isidore Newman School in Uptown New Orleans. He was a member of the Green Wave football team, which won a state championship during his senior year in 1968. He was also a standout baseball player, and he briefly considered pursuing a career in that sport before deciding to focus on football.

Manning played college football at Ole Miss, where he racked up more than 11,000 yards passing and 81 touchdowns over the course of his career. He was twice named an All-American and was the runner-up for the Heisman Trophy in 1970. He was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1989.

Manning was drafted by the New Orleans Saints with the second overall pick in the1971 NFL Draft. He spent 10 seasons with the Saints, earning Pro Bowl honors six times. He then spent two seasons with the Houston Oilers before retiring from the NFL in 1984.

Post-NFL Career

Archie Manning played in the NFL for 14 years, from 1971 to 1984. He was then a commentator for CBS Sports for two years. In 1986, he became a NFL analyst for NBC. He has also done color commentary for the New Orleans Saints Radio Network.

NFL analyst

After his NFL career, Manning became an analyst for NFL Live on ESPN. In this role, he offers commentary and analysis of the game, often alongside former teammates Keyshawn Johnson and Tom Waddle. He also occasionally appears on other ESPN programming, such as Get Up! and SportsCenter.