Eli Manning is bracing himself for his kids’ teenage years, but for now, he’s just soaking up all their love — and driving them anywhere they want to go.
“A lot of things scare me [about the teen years],” Manning, 42, exclusively told Us Weekly while promoting his partnership with Corona Extra for its Fine Life Playbook campaign.
He noted that “boys” are a major fear of his now that his oldest daughter is 12. In the meantime, Manning revealed he’s “enjoying all the kids while they’re still young and still like me.”
Manning shares daughters Ava, 12, Lucy, 10, and Caroline, 7, and son Charlie, 4, with his wife, Abby McGrew. The couple tied the knot in 2008 after meeting as students at the University of Mississippi.
After retiring from the NFL in January 2020, Manning told Us that he’s focused on helping his kids grow and discover what they love to do.
“I found my passion in football at a young age or sports, really. So, for me it’s trying to get my kids into different activities [so] hopefully they can find something that they’re truly passionate about. That they love to do,” he explained. “A lot of that’s just experimenting with different activities, different things, and see[ing] if they can find something they’d love to do at an early age.”
The former New York Giants quarterback noted that all of his little ones are “pretty athletic,” but they don’t play just one sport.
“We have a swimmer; we have lacrosse players. We have a hockey player. We have one that’s more gymnastics and dance. So [they’re] all doing a little bit of everything,” Manning said, joking, “I’m an Uber driver, basically.”
Manning and McGrew, 39, have a “divide and conquer” strategy when it comes to their kids’ weekend activities. When the group does have downtime, Manning said they try to stay outside and enjoy things as a family.
“I wish I could lock the doors, just say, ‘Hey, we’re just staying outside, and we’re just gonna play games,’” he told Us. “We’ll play ping pong. We’ll play, you know, different made-up wiffle ball games or kick balls and just having lots of laughs with the family. [Then] go jump in the pool and enjoy the good weather in the summer.”
Manning’s summertime fun may be winding down, but he’s teamed up with Corona Extra to keep the party going during football season. The retired athlete will be “coaching” fans all season long on how to “live the fine life and savor” the 2023 season.
“[I’m] excited to be a part of team Fine Life. Being a sports fan can be stressful … but with a Corona, sports fans [can be] a little bit different. It’s a little bit more relaxed,” he said. “You find ways to really celebrate and cheer for any moment no matter what the score is of the game. That’s a lifestyle and perspective that I appreciate.”
Manning will also be accepting submissions for the Fine Life Playbook — from August 28 to November 17 — which consists of “fun and light-hearted” activities that fans can do to enhance their football-watching experience. Fans can submit a “play” for Manning’s playbook and possibly win a Fine Life Team Kit complete with Corona merchandise, a signed Manning jersey and more.
For more information on how to submit to the Fine Life Playbook, click here — or head to CoronaUSA.com and follow @CoronaUSA on Instagram, X and Facebook.
With reporting by Christina Garibaldi
