Giants QB Eli Manning and Broncos QB Peyton Manning are promoting DirecTV's "NFL Sunday Ticket" package in a "hilarious" new spot via Grey, N.Y., in which "the hip-hop stars (who knew?!) oh-so-brilliantly rap "Football on Your Phone," according to Alyssa Toomey of EONLINE.com The brothers "show off some serious swag as they rap the lyrics to their first 'hit' single" while the QBs toss around a golden football. Additional highlights "include the siblings' hairstyles (seriously, can you believe Eli's curls?!), an appearance by their father, Archie Manning, as well as a portrait of Alexander Graham Bell getting completely destroyed" (
EONLINE.com, 8/6). PRO FOOTBALL TALK's Mike Florio wrote the video "rips off" the Justin Timberlake-Andy Samberg "Color Me Badd vibe, which has shown up in at least three SNL Digital Shorts." But Eli and Peyton "can pull it off, making the end result look far easier than it is." For a "change, Eli is actually funnier in this one than Peyton." It could be that Peyton "opted to give the best lines to Eli" (
PROFOOTBALLTALK.com, 8/6).
TOUCHDOWN! ADWEEK's Gabriel Beltrone wrote, "At first you'll hate it, but then you won't be able to stop watching." After a couple minutes "of rubbernecking, you'll see Eli burst through a large portrait of Alexander Graham Bell and realize you've been beaten about the head with stupidity to the point that you can't help but laugh" (ADWEEK.com, 8/6). SI.com's Chris Burke wrote this spot "raised the bar ... putting 'Football on Your Phone' immediately into the pantheon of greatest commercials featuring athletes" (SI.com, 8/6). NFL.com's Dan Hanzus wrote, "Say this for Peyton and Eli Manning: They aren't afraid to be ridiculous for the sake of entertainment." Eli is "absolutely rocking a curly wig that summons memories of 1999-era Justin Timberlake." Peyton is "dressed like an aging European nightclub patron." They are both "woeful in their lyrical delivery." Hanzus: "Our favorite part is probably when Eli disrespects the memory of Alexander Graham Bell. But really, this is a tour de force all around" (NFL.com, 8/6).
INCOMPLETE PASS: FOXSPORTS.com's Ross Jones wrote, "I love when NFL players -- let alone quarterbacks -- go out on a limb and show different sides of their personalities, but this is different. ... I watched this video and didn't laugh out loud once." Jones: "Maybe I'm in the minority, but this was a swing and a miss" (FOXSPORTS.com, 8/7).
TWITTER REAX: SI.com's Jimmy Traina wrote, "Don't want to oversell this, but this Peyton & Eli Manning rap/R&B video is the greatest thing you will see today." Blogger Steve DelVecchio: "Manning brothers have officially won the offseason with this amazing rap video." The Washington Post's Cindy Boren wrote, "The Mannings put football on your phone and football in your pants. It's for DirecTV and it's ... mesmerizing." Newsday Sports' official feed stated, "Peyton Manning already a commercial genius, but Eli's Will Ferrell hair in new RAP VIDEO is pure brilliance."
