The Manning name is synonymous with excellence and success in football. With three NFL quarterbacks—Archie, Peyton, and Eli—and a fourth, Arch, on the way, the family has set an extraordinary standard. But the Mannings haven’t kept their wealth of knowledge to themselves. In fact, they’ve spent nearly three decades sharing it through the Manning Passing Academy.
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For the past 29 years, this annual four-day camp has helped shape countless future NFL stars, offering young athletes the chance to refine their skills under the guidance of football royalty. But contrary to popular belief, the concept wasn’t originally theirs.
According to Cooper Manning, the inspiration for the Manning Passing Academy came from the Bowden family, who ran a similar camp that Peyton once attended.
In an appearance on the Under the Numbers podcast, Cooper shared how the idea for the camp took root and how it has evolved over the years. After returning home from the Bowden family camp, a young Peyton Manning pitched the concept to his father, Archie, who immediately recognized its potential. At the time, Peyton had just started college, and Eli was still in middle school.
“It was really inspired by the Bowden Family. The Bowden Family had a camp that Peyton had attended. Peyton attended and came back and said.” We probably ought to do something. Archie was kind of coming out of football, and Peyton was in college. We started our first camp 29 years ago at Tulane,” Cooper Manning revealed.
The first Manning Passing Academy was held at Tulane University, welcoming just 200 campers. But after a successful debut, the camp quickly outgrew its original venue. The Mannings moved it to Southeastern Louisiana University, and later to its current home at Nicholls State University in Thibodaux, Louisiana.
Today, the camp hosts 1,400 high school athletes annually, drawing talent not just from across the U.S. but from around the globe. It has become one of the most prestigious quarterback and skill-position camps in football.
“Buddy Teevens was the head coach, and Archie and they partnered. Now, we are down at Thibodaux, and we have roughly 1400 campers come in late June and sweat their tail off.”
Peyton and Eli now take the lead, actively recruiting college quarterbacks to serve as camp counselors. The Academy has grown into a true Manning family tradition, with nearly every family member contributing. For the Mannings, it’s more than just a camp—it’s an annual family reunion.
The Manning Passing Academy might not exist today if not for the inspiration provided by the Bowden family, led by legendary college football coach Bobby Bowden. A titan of the sport, Bowden coached at West Virginia, Howard University, and most notably, the Florida State Seminoles, where he built his legacy.
During his storied tenure at Florida State, which spanned from 1976 to 2009, Bowden won two National Championships and compiled an impressive 304–94 record. Under his leadership, Florida State made 31 bowl game appearances and produced 184 NFL players, including 35 first-round picks and four Hall of Famers—among them, Deion Sanders.
Bowden’s coaching legacy extended to his family as well. His son, Tommy Bowden, made his mark as head coach at Clemson, where he developed future NFL talents like Rod Gardner, Woody Dantzler, Demetrius Williams, Roddy White, and Devonta Freeman.
