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What was the real Chad Powers skit?
In 2022, Eli Manning went undercover at Penn State to experience the college football walk-on tryout process for Eli’s Places. With professional hair and makeup, he wore a shaggy wig and prosthetics, used the name Chad Powers and adopted an exaggerated persona. TIME reports that he wore jersey No. 200.
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The sketch’s tryout played out as a prank: after Manning performed poorly in testing, coach James Franklin announced that he had been cut. Manning then revealed who he was. ESPN describes the segment as an exploration of the walk-on experience, while TIME reports that it drew 17 million views on ESPN’s YouTube channel. That figure is TIME’s report about the sketch, not a current live view count or an audience figure for the Hulu series.
What parts of the Hulu show are fictional?
The series takes the disguise-and-tryout premise and builds a scripted football comeback story around it. Glen Powell plays Russ Holliday, a fictional former college quarterback who adopts the Chad Powers identity in an effort to get back into the game. The show’s football career, Russ’s personal history and the South Georgia Catfish are inventions, not episodes from Manning’s life.
#1 Best Overall
Hulu’s official series page identifies Powell as Russ Holliday / Chad Powers and describes the Catfish storyline. The Los Angeles Times likewise explains that the show expands Manning’s disguise into a fictional backstory.
How Eli Manning helped make the series
Hulu credits Glen Powell and Michael Waldron as co-creators and executive producers. Eli Manning is an executive producer, alongside Peyton Manning and other producers from Omaha Productions and ESPN.
Rank #2
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In an ESPN first-person feature, Manning says he sat in on writers’ room sessions and answered questions about college football routines. He and Peyton also gave Powell feedback on football details, including throwing mechanics, hand placement for shotgun snaps, footwork and cadence.
Powell told the Los Angeles Times that the creators wanted the football world to feel authentic to fans: “We want college football fans to see storylines and personalities and people that they are watching every Saturday.” Manning described the balance this way in ESPN’s October 8, 2025 feature: “Obviously, it’s a ridiculous story, but we’re going to highlight the great things around college football.”
Rank #3
Where to watch the show
Hulu’s official page identifies Chad Powers as its comedy series. ESPN’s October 2025 feature also said it was available on Hulu and Hulu on Disney+. Streaming availability and terms can vary by region and change over time, so check the service in your location.
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Rank #4
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
