Eli Manning has mastered life after football better than just about anyone.
The two-time Super Bowl MVP keeps adding new roles to his impressive post-retirement resume.
And Eli Manning just added one job to his resume that will leave Giants fans grinning.
Eli Manning crosses off the one football role he's never done
Manning retired from the New York Giants after 16 seasons in 2019, but he never really left football.
He jumped into broadcasting, coached three straight Pro Bowls, and even helped his flag football teams dominate the competition.
But there was one aspect of the game the legendary quarterback had never experienced.
That changes now.
Manning and Kylie Kelce will officiate Toyota's Glow-Up Classic, an all-girls flag football game played on the same field as the Pro Bowl in the Bay Area.
The game features standout female athletes competing under glow-in-the-dark conditions.
NFL stars Brock Purdy and Jordan Love serve as team captains while Christian Gonzalez, Kyle Hamilton, Puka Nacua, and Michael Pittman Jr. handle coordinator duties.
Manning told Fox News Digital that flag football shaped his entire career trajectory.
"I played flag football growing up, fifth, sixth, seventh grade, and absolutely loved it," Manning explained. "I thought it was a big part of my success in football, my love of football and where it came from."
Now his own kids are experiencing that same introduction to the game.
Toyota has pumped $3 million annually into flag football, helping more than 300,000 youth players across the country get on the field.
The company's partnership with NFL Flag reaches 700,000 youth athletes and over 1,800 local leagues nationwide.
Manning's been studying film like it's playoff time
The two-time Super Bowl champion knows NFL officials haven't exactly gotten the benefit of the doubt lately.
Especially after the controversial calls that dominated last weekend's playoff games.
So Manning's preparing like he's about to face the Patriots defense again.
"We've been studying 'what is a catch?' That is the idea," Manning said with a grin. "These playoff games, we've got to figure out what's a catch, what's not. I think we got that down."
Manning admitted the real challenge will be making split-second calls without the luxury of 25 slow-motion replays.
"It's easy to watch a slo-mo play 25 times and figure out what's the right call, but being there live in the action, this will be fun," he added.
The Hall of Fame quarterback has already proven he can handle the coaching pressure at the Pro Bowl.
Manning beat his brother Peyton three straight years coaching the NFC flag football team.
Those victories against Peyton have been "really the highlight of it all" according to Manning.
Flag football's Olympic future has Manning thinking about 2028
Flag football becomes an Olympic sport at the 2028 Los Angeles Games.
NFL stars like Joe Burrow have already declared their intentions to chase gold medals.
Brother Peyton Manning even lobbied publicly for a chance to coach Team USA.
When asked if he'd consider coaching at the Olympics, Manning didn't shut the door.
"Hey, you never know," Manning said. "It's so fun the last couple of years coaching the Pro Bowl."
Manning praised how NFL players have embraced flag football at the Pro Bowl despite their superstar status.
"These guys bought into it," Manning explained. "A lot of them played flag football growing up, and we're excited about getting back to it and not having to wear a helmet, showcase their good looks and their celebrations afterward."
The Pro Bowl's shift to flag football has been part of the NFL's push to grow the sport globally ahead of the Olympics.
Over 20 million people now play flag football across 100 countries.
Women and girls are driving the fastest growth, with participation among girls aged 6-17 jumping 63% since 2019.
Manning's officiating debut shows how seriously the NFL is taking flag football's Olympic future.
The league moved the 2026 Pro Bowl from Orlando to the Bay Area on the Tuesday before the Super Bowl to maximize exposure.
Manning and his brother will continue coaching their respective conference teams, though new staff members will join them.
For now, Manning is focused on making sure the Toyota Glow-Up Classic runs smoothly without any controversial replay decisions.
He's studied enough film to know one thing for certain.
Nobody wants to be the official who blows a call in a glow-in-the-dark game with NFL stars watching.
Sources:
- Ryan Morik, "Eli Manning takes on yet another job as he teases possible Olympic appearance," Fox News, January 21, 2026.
- "Toyota named presenting partner of NFL Flag tournaments across the U.S. in an inclusive effort to offer football to all," NFL.com, June 11, 2024.
- "NFL players enthusiastic about prospect of pursuing Olympic gold when flag football debuts in 2028," Boston.com, February 3, 2024.
