Glen Powell stars as Russ Holliday in the upcoming Hulu series Chad Powers, which debuts on September 30, 2025. The sports comedy centers on a disgraced college quarterback aiming to revive his career with a Southern football team. While the storyline follows familiar themes of redemption and personal growth, its unique inspiration comes from a viral ESPN+ sketch featuring NFL quarterback Eli Manning. The focus on Glen Powell Chad Powers Hulu brings new attention to how an entertaining prank evolved into a scripted series.
The show features six episodes and was co-created by Powell himself alongside Michael Waldron. The cast includes Steve Zahn, Perry Mattfeld, Quentin Plair, Wynn Everett, Frankie A. Rodriguez, Toby Huss, and others who portray characters that enrich the narrative beyond the skit’s original premise.
The Viral Moment That Sparked Chad Powers’ Creation
In September 2022, ESPN+ released a segment of Eli’s Places in which Eli Manning disguised himself with prosthetics and a blonde wig to infiltrate a Penn State football tryout under the alias Chad Powers. This fictitious persona was crafted by the production team to secretly test Manning’s skills against college-level athletes.
The skit quickly went viral because Manning’s performance fooled both coaches and players, showcasing his football prowess while maintaining his undercover ruse. The reveal was met with excitement and laughter from everyone involved.
This stunt, combining elements of disguise and sports, served as the kernel for Hulu’s adaptation. Glen Powell explained in an interview with The Hollywood Reporter that the appeal lied in the audience’s awareness that Manning was hidden beneath the disguise, making the deception the core dramatic tension. He said:
“What made Eli’s thing so magical is the viewer knew Eli Manning was under [the disguise]. So, let’s use the lie at the center of this thing, which creates inherent fun conflict over the course of the series. We were like, ‘OK, we’re going to Tootsie this thing. Let’s Mrs. Doubtfire it, and let’s see how far we can take this lie.”
The series expands the original prank with additional storylines, including romantic elements and team dynamics, to deepen the plot beyond the viral moment.
The Role of Eli Manning and Production Background
Although Eli Manning serves as an executive producer alongside his brother Peyton, he does not participate as an actor in Chad Powers, allowing him to oversee the project’s development without the demand of on-screen performance. This decision helps maintain a clear focus on Powell’s portrayal of Russ Holliday while preserving Manning’s creative influence behind the scenes.
The concept of turning a brief, humorous sports sketch into a full-length series parallels previous successes like Ted Lasso, which transformed from a promotional character into a widely acclaimed show and recently completed its fourth season. Chad Powers seeks to capture similar momentum in the sports drama genre, leveraging its origin in real-life sports culture and viral moments. Jason Sudeikis’ Ted Lasso serves as a benchmark for shows blending comedy, heart, and athletics.
As Chad Powers premieres on Hulu, viewers are left to consider whether it will carve its own niche or follow in the footsteps of its predecessor. The combination of Glen Powell’s involvement, the homage to Eli Manning’s viral prank, and the layered storytelling could position it as a fresh entry in sports entertainment.
Will audiences tune in starting September 30, 2025, and how it will compare to Ted Lasso in tone and impact remains to be seen.
