In his injury-riddled rookie season, he was sacked a league-high 40 times and finished with only three wins as starter.Ĭonstant punishment were the main themes of Manning’s career, and while teammates and opponents lauded his toughness, the pounding took its toll. By that point in the season, he had been sacked 26 times and hit countless other times. Takes Punishment for Lowly New Orleans SaintsĪrchie Manning, facing pressure during a loss to Washington in 1975, never had a winning season with the New Orleans Saints.Īfter the Dallas game, a Saints front office employee told an Alabama newspaper that to be great, Manning must stay healthy and in the pocket. That victory would be the last positive note in what was otherwise a dismal, painful rookie season-one that foreshadowed the rest of Manning’s Saints career. “I’m sure the victory meant a lot more to the players who have been around longer than I have,” said Manning, known for his modesty. After two losses that bookended a tie against the Houston Oilers, Manning threw for a touchdown and ran for two more as New Orleans defeated eventual Super Bowl champion Dallas for the first time, 24-14. “But when it is attached to Manning’s name it becomes, well, it is not strong enough.”īut there was to be only one other major highlight during Archie Manning’s rookie season. “Too often writers use the word ‘great’ a bit carelessly,” wrote Bob Roesler of the Times-Picayune of New Orleans in 1971. The surprise victory stoked optimism for the Saints, who had 14 wins, 40 losses and two ties in their first four seasons in the NFL. READ MORE: How Roger Staubach, Drew Pearson made 'Hail Mary' pass famous (Peyton started his first game as a rookie with the Indianapolis Colts in 1998 Eli didn’t start until Week 11 of his rookie season with the New York Giants in 2004.) Although he said before the season that he “didn’t think a little internship” was out of line, Archie started in the opener, running for the winning score on the final play in a 24-20 victory over the perennial NFC powerhouse Los Angeles Rams. Manning’s rookie year with the Saints in 1971 started auspiciously enough. New Orleans Saints QB Archie Manning, scrambling against the Cleveland Browns in 1975, also played for the Houston Oilers and Minnesota Vikings. Archie Manning Earns Win in First NFL Start Known for his toughness, he played the 1971 Gator Bowl with a broken left arm. Mississippi lost, 33-32, but the high-profile performance put Manning on the map. In a game that season against Alabama-the first broadcast on television in prime time-Manning threw for 436 yards and three touchdowns and rushed for 104 yards. It wasn’t supposed to be that way for the Drew, Mississippi-native, selected with the second overall pick in the 1971 NFL draft by the Saints.Īrchie Manning had a stellar career at the University of Mississippi, where he was first-team All-American and fourth in the Heisman Trophy race in 1969. But the 15-year NFL career of their father, Archie, was filled with hardships, failures and what-ifs with the New Orleans Saints, Houston Oilers and Minnesota Vikings. Peyton and Eli Manning are renowned for their combined four Super Bowl championships, individual accolades and big-game performances. In the world of football, the name Manning is legendary.
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