Chad Powers, the fake character Eli Manning portrayed as part of ESPN+’s series of shorts, is getting his own TV show.
Aptly titled “Chad Powers,” the half-hour comedy comes from cocreators and executive producers Glen Powell and Michael Waldron and has been ordered at Hulu.
Manning first donned Chad’s mustache in 2023 when he went undercover at Penn State to try his hand at walk-on tryouts. Since then, the character has taken on a life of its own. The Hulu series won’t directly follow the arc of the original ESPN+ shorts but will be inspired by them.
The comedy follows hotshot quarterback Russ Holliday, whose bad behavior ruins his college career. To save his chances at a pro career, he disguises himself, takes on a fake name and walks onto a struggling Southern football team.
Powell (“Anyone But You,” “Top Gun: Maverick”) and Waldron (“Loki,” “Heels,” “Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness”) wrote the pilot.
“We’re both diehard college football fans. When we saw Eli as Chad Powers, we knew that was the way into a big, fun story about this world,” Powell and Waldron said in a joint statement. “We’re excited to be part of this team, and can’t wait to get Chad in the game. Think fast, run fast.”
“The love for Chad Powers has surprised me in spectacular ways,” Manning said. “I played 16 years in the NFL, but now when I’m in a restaurant or walking through an airport, it’s not uncommon for fans to scream, ‘Hey Chad!’ I’m so excited to team up with my friends Glen Powell, Michael Waldron and Omaha Productions to continue to tell the Chad Powers story and see what he does next.”
The sketch was originally produced by NFL Films and Omaha Productions and aired as part of Manning’s “Eli’s Places” series. The series comes from 20th Television and will stream on Hulu.
In addition to Powell and Waldron, Manning will executive produce the comedy along with Omaha Productions’ Peyton Manning, Jamie Horowitz, Ben Brown and ESPN. Waldron and Adam Fasullo will produce for Anomaly Pictures, and Powell’s production cobanner Barnstorm Productions will also be involved.
