The NFL's New Orleans Saints drafted Archie Manning with the No. 1 overall pick in the 1971 NFL Draft, and 47 years later, his impact on the community remains as strong as ever.
Manning, however, knows one of his favorite attractions that some might miss when they visit The Big Easy.
"I lived in New Orleans a long time, so I'm very proud of the World War II Museum," Manning told Sporting News in a recent interview. "When you live in this city, which is a destination city, you get two questions: ‘Where you should go eat? What's your favorite restaurant?' Then, it's, 'What should we go do?' One thing you should never leave out is the World War II Museum. It's one of the great things we have in this city."
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In that regard, it's fitting Manning will receive the 2018 American Spirit Medallion at the National World War II Museum on Friday, an award that recognizes longtime dedication to civic and charitable causes. Manning piled those up long after his career as a star quarterback at Ole Miss and in the NFL ended.
Manning remains active with a long list of organizations, including the Louisiana Special Olympics, the New Orleans Area Boy Scout Council, The Salvation Army, United Way Speakers Bureau, Allstate Sugar Bowl Committee and the Greater New Orleans Sports Foundation.
From a football standpoint, he's chairman of the National Football Foundation and is preparing for his 23rd yard at the Manning Passing Academy with his sons Peyton, Eli and Cooper. He's an all-time ambassador for New Orleans. Now, he'll receive the American Spirit Medallion, whose past recipients include former President George H.W. Bush, Tom Brokaw, Gen. Colin Powell and Henry Kissinger.
"That was the thing that shocked me and really made it even more of an honor for me when you look at the past recipients," Manning said.
For Manning, the honor takes on a special meaning that goes on beyond the museum's roots in New Orleans. He considers it a tribute to his upbringing with his parents Elisha and Jane in Drew, Miss., that continued with his wife Olivia and three sons who went on to college and NFL success. It all started in New Orleans.
"My dad served, and I lost my dad early. I was 19. He was typical from what I understand of veterans, and especially veterans from that war. He never talked about it. I never dug in and tried to get him to talk about it and he certainly didn't," Manning said.
"Olivia and I get compliments about our children, and I'm always quick to pass the credit where it's due, and that's to Olivia," he said. "But when I talk about that or I'm asked about it, I think we all try to raise our children like our parents raised us."
Manning's philanthropy in New Orleans began in earnest when then-owner John Mecom Jr. encouraged the quarterback to make an impact on the city. Manning hosted golf tournaments in Louisiana and Mississippi, a trend that continues with this North Mississippi Classic.
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Perhaps the most notable event is the Manning Passing Academy, which started at Tulane with 185 campers and has grown to a must-attend annual event that hosts as many 900 players. Archie said Peyton came up with the idea with the intent of helping area quarterbacks improve their passing skills.
"We've done something really good there, and I'm really proud of that," Archie said. "The reason we've been successful obviously with the boys' success in college and pro football ups the notoriety of that camp, but in 23 years all three of them have not missed one minute of the can. I'm selfish, and it guarantees me four days with them. Just us. It's something we love to do."
That's the mindset Manning keeps to this day — one that was key in the aftermath of Hurricane Katina — a disaster that came with a "long and hard." Manning stayed involved with that, and that's a large reason he's receiving the American Spirit Medallion. That museum, which focuses heavily on the D-Day Invasion on June 6, 1944, continues to leave an impact on him. He remembers attending a photo op in April where he saw buses unloading visitors to the museum — part of month in which more than 100,000 people visited the attraction.
That's something Manning will always take pride in as his work continues.
"They keep adding to it," Manning said. "It's so popular nationally. I take great pride in the fact that we have that here. It's clearly an honor to attend this annual gala and to be among the names of the past. I'm not sure I belong there, but it truly is an honor."
