Chad Powers is a new upcoming television dramedy series on Disney+ that revolves around an intriguing plot inspired by true events, based on the experiences of former NFL New York Giants quarterback Eli Manning, who also serves as one of the executive producers. The series is created by Glenn Powell and Michael Waldron, with Powell himself taking on the lead role as Russ Holliday and his alter ego, Chad Powers.
The story is inspired by Eli Manning, who once created a character similar to Chad Powers to disguise himself and experience college football drafts firsthand, learning how to navigate the process before entering Penn University the following year.
Over the years, Eli Manning, like his brother Peyton, became one of the greatest quarterbacks in NFL history, leading the New York Giants to two Super Bowl championships and earning MVP honours in both games, defeating the New England Patriots twice.
While Chad Powers was loosely inspired by Manning’s draft experience at Penn, the series develops the premise in a very different way, adding an original twist and narrative arc.
Russ Holliday (Glenn Powell) is introduced as the quarterback for Oregon during the Rose Bowl game against Georgia. The Rose Bowl is the most prestigious and historic game in college football, with major significance for NFL draft prospects. To put it into perspective, in soccer terms, it could be compared to the Champions League final for youth players.
Back to the story: during a decisive play, Holliday is about to secure victory with a touchdown, but just one yard before the end zone, he accidentally fumbles the ball. Georgia recovers it and scores, turning Oregon’s triumph into a disaster. What should have been the crowning moment of his career becomes a nightmare. Overcome with anger, Holliday makes an unforgivable mistake: he punches the father of a child battling cancer, a man in a wheelchair. With that reckless act, Holliday’s promising football career ends in a single night.
Eight years later, still lost and without a career, Holliday struggles to find himself. One day, after an announcement rekindles his determination, he decides to fight for a second chance. Following in his father’s footsteps as a Hollywood makeup artist, he uses prosthetics to reinvent himself as Chad Powers—a new man, a new quarterback, and a new opportunity to correct the mistakes that once cost him everything. He starts from scratch, determined to rebuild his future in a different way.
The show uses disappointment, bad luck, and resilience to explore what it means to pursue a dream without losing hope—living in the moment while keeping an eye on the future, and seizing every opportunity to change.
Chad embodies all of this. In the first two episodes, the series strikes a balance between comedy and drama through a well-written screenplay, strong cinematography, and an engaging cast. Glenn Powell delivers a nuanced performance in both roles, further enriched by the guidance of Eli and Peyton Manning, two of the greatest quarterbacks in NFL history. The dual perspective makes the story unfold unexpectedly and intriguingly.
Chad Powers embraces all these aspects with curiosity and emotional depth, even for non-American football fans who may not fully understand college football culture. Beyond the sport, the show highlights universal values: teamwork, resilience, sacrifice, and motivation.
We leave this review with a lingering “what if”: what if Russ Holliday had never chosen this path to chase his dream? The question makes us eager to see how his journey unfolds. Let’s wait for the next episodes to find out more. Chad Powers is on Disney+.
Rank: 3/5
