National Football Foundation Chairman Archie Manning, one of the most cherished figures in the history of Ole Miss football and a 1989 inductee into the NFF College Football Hall of Fame, was surprised Friday night with an announcement that the university will erect a statue honoring him outside the Manning Center on the Ole Miss campus. Manning learned of the news during a special dinner as part of Ole Miss' M-Club weekend, surrounded by former teammates, coaches and fellow letterwinners.
 
"Archie Manning represents everything the College Football Hall of Fame stands for, including excellence on the field, humility off it and a lifetime of giving back to the game he loves," said NFF President & CEO Steve Hatchell. "This statue is a fitting tribute to a man whose impact on Ole Miss, his family and college football will be felt for generations. On behalf of the entire NFF family, I want to congratulate Archie on this well-deserved honor."
 
Manning has been a leader of the NFF for more than three decades. He joined the NFF Board of Directors in 1993, four years after his induction into the College Football Hall of Fame, and he has served as chairman of the board since 2007. During his tenure, the NFF has achieved numerous milestones, including the construction of the $68 million, state-of-the-art College Football Hall of Fame in Atlanta. Manning starred at quarterback for the Rebels from 1968 to 1970 under legendary NFF College Football Hall of Fame Coach Johnny Vaught, closing out his career with a then-school-record 56 touchdowns and 5,576 yards of total offense. Manning finished third in Heisman Trophy voting in 1970 before being selected No. 2 overall by the New Orleans Saints in the 1971 NFL Draft.
 
The statue adds to Manning's enduring connection to the Ole Miss campus. The football program trains in the Olivia and Archie Manning Athletics Performance Center, a street on campus bears the name "Manning Way," and the campus speed limit is famously set at 18 miles per hour, a nod to the number Manning wore during his playing days.
 
Details on the statue, including its unveiling date, will be shared in the coming days.