LSU quarterback Joe Burrow's storybook career ended with one final honor that will forever link him to the state of Louisiana.
Burrow was selected as the 2019 winner of the Manning Award, presented by the Sugar Bowl, voted on by national writers and each of the Mannings, and presented to college football's best quarterback.
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Manning presented Burrow with the award on Wednesday. It's the latest honor Burrow claimed after winning the Heisman Trophy and SN Player of the Year honors, among many others. He led the Tigers to a 15-0 record — culminating with a 42-25 victory against Clemson in the College Football Playoff championship game — while passing for 5,671 yards and accounting for 65 total touchdowns.
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"Anytime you can be mentioned in the same sentence as the Manning family you kind of take a deep breath and reflect on it because those are the guys you grew up watching and idolizing," Burrow said. "It's been awesome to get to know that family, and they have been so good to me."
Burrow served as a counselor at the Manning Passing Academy last summer after his first season with the Tigers. And, in the past year, he has developed a connection with Louisiana's most-recognizable football family.
"They've been incredible to me," Burrow said. "Peyton has texted me a couple times just checking in, and Archie has texted me just about every week. That means a lot to me."
Peyton Manning (1998) and Eli Manning (2004) were selected with the No. 1 pick in the NFL Draft. Burrow appears a good bet to follow in their footsteps with the Cincinnati Bengals in the 2020 NFL Draft. Archie Manning, who spent 14 seasons in the NFL, sees similar qualities in his sons and Burrow.
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"Joe checks all the boxes," Manning said. "I think to be successful in the National Football League, first of all you have to have a good cerebral approach to the game. Some get it. Some don't last. Joe gets it. He's played in a very sophisticated offense at LSU."
Manning said Burrow also is accurate, mobile and has the football background — which extends back to his father Jimmy, who was part of a goal-line stand in Nebraska's 13-10 victory in the 1974 Sugar Bowl. In Manning's opinion, that should carry over to more awards for Burrow at the next level.
"I believe he'll have a long, outstanding and great career in pro football," he said.
