Eli's Other Brother

Eli's Other Brother; Cooper Manning the missing Manning

Eli Manning is quarterback for the Super Bowl bound NY Giants. He was first round draft pick in 2004 and has been wearing the #10 ever since. Throwing 297 completions for 3,336 yds this season alone, its no wonder he's gotten as far as he has.

We all know his slightly more famous brother Peyton, quarterback for the Indianapolis Colts, and you were probably rooting him on for an appearance in the Super Bowl as well. Peyton has thrown this year, 337 completions for 4,040 yards, but he's not the brother I'm talking about.

Eli's oldest brother, Cooper Manning, is the other brother. Never heard of him you say? Well, that's a little far fetched, since he can be found cheering on his two younger brothers on any given Sunday. Want stats on Cooper, no problem. He's not a quarterback though. Nope he's a wide receiver.

Stepping out of the family norm, father Archie was a quarterback first for New Orleans Saints and moving then to Houston and Minnesota playing for 14 years in the NFL, Cooper chose wide receiver.

We begin his story at Isidore Newman HS in New Orleans, Louisiana where Cooper a freshman plays quarterback, third string. Realizing the importance of playing time he made the decision to make the move to wide receiver. Working with his Dad Archie using what they call "The 10 Drills", his father would throw 10 balls at him from 10 yards away. If he dropped any he would have to start over and catch all 10 in a row.

As a receiver, Cooper was unstoppable. The 6'4" 185lb athlete had finger tips made of super glue with little brother Peyton throwing Cooper did not drop one ball. He ran the 40 in 4.7 seconds and caught 76 passes for 1,250 yards. Then one day the super glue wasn't so sticky anymore.

He noticed that he developed numbness in his right fingers. Finishing the season off, Cooper was able to have it go unnoticed from everyone, but his Dad. Later it was discovered that he'd injured the ulna nerve in his right hand. Surgery corrected the injury and Cooper returned to the field, but that was cut short. In 1993 he was diagnosed with a congenital disorder of the spine called spinal stenosis, a narrowing of the spinal cord.

By this time Cooper was a freshman at Ole Miss as a starting wide receiver, and had to seriously rethink his life. As a member of the football team and part of the athletic program Cooper really had to learn to let go.

Postoperative Cooper was left without the use of his right side and a numb left leg. He had to learn to walk again. Rehabilitation was hard, painful, and challenging. Cooper knows that without his family by his side, he would've had to use his humor on someone else. Yep, Cooper is the Court Jester of NFL's Royal family. He kept a smile on his face and spread his positive attitude to Mom, Olivia along with his Dad and brothers.

He returned to college at Ole Miss and began dating his now wife and childhood friend, Ellen. Completing his Bachelor's degree in Business Management Cooper took on the task of Manning head cheerleader as Peyton began his college football career.

These days, Cooper lives a few blocks away from Papa & Mama Manning in New Orleans' French Quarters. He's the father of three and still happily married to Ellen. He saves his moves for the boardroom as a successful equity broker and can be seen helping out at the family business.

The Royal Family of the NFL runs The Manning Passing Academy, where 1,000 of the top high school quarterbacks, wide receivers, running backs, and tight ends from around the country go to learn.

"Maybe the bad thing happened to the right guy", he says. "I'm just a big believer that things happen for a reason. I don't like to sit and dwell, whether it's good or bad. You can walk around and be the sad guy, but that never appealed to me". - As quoted in an article written by Dave Scheiber of the St. Petersburg Times.

In the long run, Copper is doin' all right and he's not concerned with what could've been, because what is, is so great.