Eli Manning on Big Game Ads and His Work With Guiding Eyes for the Blind

The NFL icon helps others and preps for Super Bowl Sunday

On Thursday, Muse caught up with two-time Super Bowl champion quarterback Eli Manning, who’s starring with his brother Peyton, also a former star QB, in FanDuel’s “Kick of Destiny 3” Big Game campaign.

Eli and Thomas Panek, president and CEO of Guiding Eyes for the Blind, held a bash at Milk Bar Nomad in NYC to celebrate a guide dog named Ten (Manning’s number in the NFL). The pup has served with Guiding Eyes for exactly one year.

Eli has supported the organization, which provides trained dogs to those who are blind or experiencing vision loss, for more than two decades.

“I heard a few people talk about the impact that their guide dogs had on their lives,” he recalled. “And all of a sudden, when they got their dogs, not only did they get that independence, but they also got a best friend, and the doors and the opportunities just opened.”

“When I was playing for the Giants, I had limited time to get involved,” he said. “But when I retired, I joined the board of directors and tried to help out as much as possible and continue the great work that they’re doing.”

Every year, Guiding Eyes graduates about 150 dogs and assigns them to those in need. “And telling those stories with Eli through social media, telling those stories through advertising, has made an incredible difference,” said Panek. “It’s been incredibly fruitful, because we want to shorten that waiting list and be able to provide the gift of a guide dog at no cost. That’s what it’s all about.”

After Ten lapped up some doggie cake, we chatted with Eli about Big Game ads and his training for “Kick of Destiny,” a live Super Bowl Sunday field-goal competition between the Manning brothers.

MUSE: What’s the favorite Super Bowl ad that you’ve been in?

Eli Manning: One of my favorite ones was a few years ago. Odell Beckham and I did a rendition of Dirty Dancing. I always dreamed of being Patrick Swayze, and I finally got to do it. I think it was very unexpected. I didn’t tell anyone about it. I didn’t tell my family about it. I was very nervous. I practiced the dance moves a lot. I said, if I’m going to do it, I want it to look good, I wanted to do it right. And it came off really well.

How goes your ‘Kick of Destiny’ training?

It’s going well. There’s some soreness. I’m using some muscles I’ve never used before. But I did some training this morning, kicked a few. So I’m building up for the big day.

What’s the family group chat sound like?

I think I’m the favorite right now among the family. Peyton’s a little older, not as mobile. 

“You never know, he may surprise you,” added Panek.

Which brand will take home the 2025 Super Clio for the best Big Game commercial? We’ll find out on Feb. 10.