Officially, Peyton Manning was 3-0 against younger brother Eli and the New York Giants during his Hall-of-Fame NFL career.
Now, years into their respective retirements, Archie‘s boys are squaring off at the Super Bowl, as FanDuel has now revealed in a fantastical new advertisement.
‘May The Best Manning Win,’ reads the tag line from the sportsbook’s latest serving of the Kick of Destiny.
The title-winning quarterbacks have agreed to the annual kicking competition scheduled set to take place during the Super Bowl LIX Pregame Show, only this time, it’s a new head-to-head format.
However, just as FanDuel has done the previous two years with ex-Patriots star Rob Gronkowski, consumers can still vie for their share of $10 million in bonus bets by correctly predicting the outcome.
‘Only from FanDuel, America’s No. 1 sportsbook,’ a rehearsing Eli says into a mirror in the opening moments of the new spot.
Eli Manning’s younger self lines up a field goal in FanDuel’s fantastical new advertisement
A defiant Eli (left) lashes out at Peyton’s younger self (right) in the new FanDuel ad
Peyton is seen using grippers while laughing at brother Eli’s dream of being a kicker
‘A little stiff,’ older brother Peyton remarks from a nearby doorway. ‘What, do you got a job interview?’
Eli then explains he’s competing in the Kick of Destiny 3.
‘I’ll finally be a kicker, like I always dreamed,’ the youngest Manning brother says as a flashback sequence ensues.
Seen in a wig, zip-up jacket, jeans and a polo shirt, Eli is suddenly transported back to his childhood in the 1980s.
‘It all comes down to this folks,’ he says as he lines up a field-goal attempt in a small park.
Eli splits the uprights and celebrates as if he’s done so in a real game.
‘Yes, that’s three points to win the Super Bowl,’ he says.
It’s then that Peyton is seen mocking his younger brother from the sidelines.
‘You’ll never be kicker, Eli,’ says the laughing Peyton, who is also wearing an 80s-style wig. ‘You’ll just have to be a quarterback like me and dad.’
The obvious joke here is that the Mannings are all quarterbacks: Archie (Saints, Oilers), Peyton (Colts, Broncos), Eli (Giants), and even older brother Cooper’s son Arch is an NFL prospect at Texas.
‘I was born to be a kicker, Peyton,’ a defiant Eli snaps back at his brother. ‘You’ll see.’
Despite the missed kick, fireworks were blasted and a group of fans stormed the field to celebrate with Gronkowski, including his longtime girlfriend, Camille Kostek (near right)
The two are then transported back into modern day.
‘FanDuel Kick of Destiny 3 is my destiny, Peyton,’ Eli says. ‘ You and I both know this.’
They then square off as Peyton gets the final word: ‘Not if I make it first.’
FanDuel’s wildly popular ad campaign helped lead to a record-setting day for the sportsbook last February as gamblers wagered $307 million on the platform across 14 million bets.
Fans who correctly predicted Gronkowski would miss the kick for the second consecutive year were granted $25 in bonus bets.
‘The Kick of Destiny is becoming a great Super Bowl Sunday tradition, and I’m feeling really good about my chances to get the win,’ said Eli in a FanDuel press release. ‘I look forward to celebrating with everyone in America who picks me to beat Peyton.’
‘Eli and I have always been competitive, and this is going to be a fun way to challenge each other in a completely different way,’ Peyton added in the release. ‘I’ve been studying film of great kickers and training hard to make sure I bring home the win for everyone in America who picks me to beat Eli.’
