Archie Manning woke up Tuesday morning knowing he would strike gold during the evening, and it meant a lot to the 67-year-old patriarch from the First Family of Quarterbacks.
The former Saints quarterback and civic-minded dad of Eli and Peyton (and Cooper) is the winner of the Gold Medal from the National Football Foundation, his prize at the 59th NFF Annual Awards Dinner at the Waldorf. The medal, being awarded to this NFF chairman for his leadership, values and contributions to football and the country, has gone to seven presidents, John Wayne, Jackie Robinson and 53 others.
“John Wayne and Jackie Robinson just kind of jumped out at me,” Manning said following a morning press conference at the Manhattan hotel.