When you hear the name Manning, your brain probably goes straight to a few things: Omaha, Super Bowl rings, and those relentless Nationwide commercials. Most people asking who is Peyton Manning’s brother are usually looking for Eli—the guy who took down the Patriots twice—but there is actually a third brother who was supposedly the best athlete of the bunch.
His name is Cooper.
It’s one of the great "what ifs" in sports history. While Peyton and Eli were busy carving their names into the Hall of Fame record books, Cooper was the older brother setting the pace, until a medical diagnosis changed the entire trajectory of the family’s legacy.
The Brother You Know: Eli Manning
Let’s get the obvious one out of the way first. Eli is the youngest of the three brothers. For a long time, he was just "Peyton’s little brother," the quiet kid from Ole Miss who got drafted by the Chargers and immediately forced a trade to the New York Giants.
Honestly, Eli’s career was a bit of a roller coaster. He didn’t have Peyton’s surgeon-like precision, and he led the league in interceptions more than once. But when the lights were brightest? The guy was a cold-blooded killer.
He’s currently a 2026 Hall of Fame finalist, and for good reason. You can’t tell the story of the NFL without mentioning the two times he snatched a trophy away from Tom Brady. Those two Super Bowl MVPs basically cement him as a legend, regardless of what the regular-season stats say.
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Life After the Giants
These days, Eli isn't exactly sitting on his porch in New Jersey doing nothing. You’ve probably seen him on the ManningCast on ESPN2, where he and Peyton spend Monday nights bickering like they’re back in their childhood bedroom in New Orleans.
Just this month, in January 2026, he’s been in the news for a pretty unexpected reason: bourbon. He actually partnered with Knob Creek to release a "Bold Pick" batch for 2026. He’s also staying busy with:
- Eli’s Places: His college football travel show.
- The ManningCast: Even though ratings dipped slightly this past season (dropping below a million viewers for some games), it’s still the gold standard for "alt-casts."
- Giants Front Office: He’s still heavily involved with the organization that drafted him.
The "Other" Brother: Cooper Manning
Now, if you want the real answer to who is Peyton Manning’s brother, you have to talk about Cooper. He’s the oldest. Growing up in the Garden District of New Orleans, Cooper was the star wide receiver at Isidore Newman School. Peyton was his quarterback.
People who were there say it was a cheat code. Cooper was fast, he had "pro" size, and he had a certain swagger that the younger two lacked. He committed to Ole Miss (where their dad, Archie, was a god) and looked like a lock for the NFL.
Then, everything stopped.
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The Diagnosis That Changed Everything
During summer practices before his freshman year at Ole Miss, Cooper started feeling a weird numbness in his fingers. He also noticed his right bicep was literally shrinking—atrophy. After a trip to the Mayo Clinic, doctors gave him the news: spinal stenosis.
Basically, his spinal canal was too narrow. One bad hit on the football field could have paralyzed him, or worse. Just like that, at 18 years old, his career was over.
Peyton was devastated. In fact, when Peyton got to the NFL, he chose to wear the number 18 as a direct tribute to Cooper, who wore 18 in high school. It was a way of bringing his brother onto the field with him every Sunday.
Cooper’s Second Act
Cooper didn’t spend his life being bitter. He’s arguably the funniest member of the family and has become a hugely successful businessman. He’s a senior managing director at AJ Capital Partners, a massive real estate firm.
If you watch Fox NFL Kickoff, you’ve seen him hosting "The Manning Hour." He’s also the father of Arch Manning, the current University of Texas quarterback who is currently the next big hope for the Manning dynasty.
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Why the Manning Sibling Dynamic Works
It’s rare to see a family this famous stay this close. Most "sports families" have some sort of weird falling out or public drama. The Mannings? They just seem to roast each other.
The ManningCast succeeded because it felt authentic. When Peyton gets visibly annoyed that Eli is eating chips while a quarterback is trying to read a cover-2 defense, that’s not scripted. That’s just brothers.
Comparing the Three
- Cooper: The trailblazer. The "what if" story. The businessman and media personality.
- Peyton: The perfectionist. The guy who revolutionized the way the position is played. The "Sheriff."
- Eli: The underdog who won big. The quiet one with the "clutch" gene.
What’s Next for the Manning Brothers?
As we head deeper into 2026, the focus is shifting. Peyton and Eli are legends of the past, but they are very much the gatekeepers of the future. With the Hall of Fame Class of 2026 set to be announced in February, all eyes are on whether Eli joins his brother in Canton on the second ballot.
Meanwhile, Cooper is basically the "First Dad" of college football right now. Watching how he handles Arch’s transition to the NFL will be the next chapter in this family's 50-year run at the top of the sport.
If you’re trying to keep up with the brothers today, the best way is to watch their production company, Omaha Productions. They aren't just former players anymore; they are a media empire.
You can check out the latest episodes of the ManningCast on ESPN+ or follow Cooper’s business ventures through AJ Capital. If you're a Giants fan, keep an eye on the Hall of Fame announcements this February—it’s going to be a massive month for the family.
Next Steps: You might want to look into Arch Manning’s current stats at Texas to see how he stacks up against his dad and uncles at the same age, or check the final 2026 Hall of Fame voting results coming out on February 5.