Two years ago, Eli Manning went undercover and pranked Penn State coaches, pretending to try out for the team as a walk-on named “Chad Powers.”
The sketch was part of Manning’s ESPN+ docuseries “Eli’s Places,” but the clip of him going undercover went viral and currently has nearly 8.5 million views on YouTube. It was such a success that it received its own spin-off on Amazon Prime Video called “Eli Manning Presents: The Undercovers.”
Manning hosts the show and helps other NFL players go undercover to prank unsuspecting teammates and fans. The first episode dropped on the streaming service today, and it stars Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Baker Mayfield.
Baker Mayfield Pranks Diehard Bucs Fans and Rookie Teammates
In the debut episode of “The Undercovers,” Mayfield is disguised as a Bucs superfan named Gus Swayze.
The character is supposed to be a former quarterback who wasn’t able to go pro because of knee injuries, but now he’s getting a chance to show what he can do while touring the Bucs’ practice facility.
Mayfield dons a long wig, bandana, fake mustache, large prosthetic nose, fake mole, knee brace, and more in order to blend in. Mayfield also does his best Southern accent and rocks a large cowboy belt to really get his Florida man on.
At one point, several of Mayfield’s rookie teammates (center Graham Barton, wide receiver Jalen McMillan, and tight end Devin Culp) even interact with “Gus” without realizing it’s Mayfield. You can watch a sneak peak here:
The ultimate Florida Man 😎🌴@bakermayfield disguises himself as superfan Gus Swayze & pranks the Krewe in The Undercovers, now streaming on @PrimeVideo. pic.twitter.com/rAmY8d1u0G
— Tampa Bay Buccaneers (@Buccaneers) October 3, 2024
Or you can watch the full 31-minute episode below (or on Amazon Prime Video):
It’s unclear who will appear in the next few episodes of “The Undercovers,” but fans should keep an eye out for the second episode next Thursday.
Also, believe it or not, this isn’t the only spin-off series from the original Chad Powers sketch, as Hulu is also working on a Chad Powers series starring Glen Powell.
Here’s the official description for the upcoming Hulu show: “When bad behavior nukes hotshot QB Russ Holliday’s (Powell) college career, he disguises himself and walks onto a struggling Southern football team as the talented, affable Chad Powers.”
The show doesn’t have a release date yet, but you can check out the initial Chad Powers sketch here.