Eli Manning Welcomes Daughter Ava Frances

Marcel Thomas/FilmMagic

Eli Manning has scored a major touchdown: He is a new dad!

The Giants quarterback, 30, and his wife Abby welcomed a daughter on Monday, March 21, PEOPLE confirms.

Ava Frances Manning weighed 7 lbs., 4 oz., and is the couple’s first child.

The pregnancy had been had been confirmed in October, with a source close to the pair sharing, “They are both so happy and excited. Eli is being very protective of Abby.”

– Anya Leon with reporting by Lesley Messer

Comments

Beautiful couple! That’s gonna be a lovely child. Congrats.

- BA on March 25th, 2011

He will be a great Dad

- Maddie on March 25th, 2011

Congrats to the new family for the new little angel. Peyton is going to be a fun Uncle to little Ava.

- NW MAMA on March 25th, 2011

I love the Manning brothers. They seem like genuinely nice guys. What a wonderful new addition to the family!

- SarahJane on March 25th, 2011

now we just need him or peyton to have a son for a third manning generation.

- Liz on March 25th, 2011

Congratulations! Eli lived in our building (I think they moved recently) in Hoboken, and was a total gentleman. Polite and low key. He’ll make a great dad.

- martina on March 25th, 2011

Congrats on the new addition to the family.

- Ashley Hornsby on March 25th, 2011

YAY, I love the Mannings so much! Congrat to th family…now Peyton get to work j/k j/k he may not even want kids.But he will be a fun uncle!

- Liza on March 25th, 2011

I believe there is already a grandson in the family. I think Cooper Manning (Peyton and Eli’s brother) has a son!

- Janice on March 25th, 2011

Congrats on your new baby girls. I am so very happy for you both……

- Sherry on March 25th, 2011

Congrats to Eli & Abby!!

- L on March 25th, 2011

Another Ava! Congrats! Btw, Cooper has a daughter and two sons.

- kaitlyn on March 25th, 2011

I think Ava Manning is a very pretty name! Congrats!

- Ashley on March 25th, 2011

Liz, maybe Ava will play football.

- dsfg on March 25th, 2011

Comgrats!!!

- Synia on March 25th, 2011

POOR LITTLE GIRL. EVERY TIME SHE RUNS, SHE’S GOING TO FALL TO THE GROUND AND DROP HER BINKY. LIKE FATHER LIKE DAUGHTER.

- Jon J. Fields. on March 25th, 2011

Peyton does NOT want children.

- Pookie on March 25th, 2011

I hope she can wear NY Giant (pink) outfits,after all the are the BEST.

- Deborah on March 25th, 2011

Congratulations!

- sharda on March 25th, 2011

What a classy, cute name! Congratulations Eli and Abby! I’ve always loved the Manning family!

- Taylor on March 25th, 2011

@Jon J Fields, didn’t you post that same comment on the Post or Daily News or whatever it was? Embarrassing…(think about Eli much?)

- Kate on March 25th, 2011

Yay Eli! You and Abby are going to be great parents. Always be there for her and she will turn out to be a beautiful person just like her parents.

- Carla McCarthy on March 25th, 2011

Congrats! Its only going to get better from here on out!

- Angel on March 25th, 2011

May God bless all of you. Congratulations!

- Marie on March 25th, 2011

WHO ARE THESE TWO PEOPLE, NEVER HEARD OF EITHER ONE OF THEM

- TILLIE on March 25th, 2011

Congratulations to the Manning family! Ava is going to be so spoiled by Uncles Cooper and Peyton!!

- Shayla on March 25th, 2011

Tillie …. not much of a sports fan eh? They are football players!

- tlm on March 25th, 2011

Tillie, as the article states, Eli is the quarterback of the New York Giants. He comes from a popular football family which includes his brother Peyton, who is the quarterback of the Indianapolis Colts, and his father, Archie, who played quarterback for teams like the Minnesota Vikings and New Orleans Saints.

- Cecelia on March 25th, 2011

Congrats to the entire Manning Family!!!!!

- Marci on March 25th, 2011

I love this family!!!!! Congrats to the entire Manning Family. Hope we get to see a picture of her soon.

- Marci on March 25th, 2011

wonderful news. . .couldn’t happen to a lovelier couple. OK, Peyton, the Colts could use a new little fan too.

- SusiQ on March 25th, 2011

Amazing family….but im sorry…hope they have a boy somewhere…the Manning genes are incredible!!!

- Capri on March 25th, 2011

Seriously. dsfg. Hoping for a little boy to be a future NFL player is just fun. Don’t even try to make it sexist. COME ON. Girls can play football, sure, but they can’t have a career out of it.

- Winter221 on March 25th, 2011

I hope she doesn’t end up all cross-eyed like ole Mississippi Mommy.

- Filet MinBob on March 25th, 2011

Another Ava LOL. Cute name though. Haven’t heard of either of them before either!

- sam and freya's mum on March 25th, 2011

Cooper has two kids….and the Manning family says Cooper was the MOST talented of the three–he just blew out a knee(I think knee) in college and could not play again.

- LLB on March 25th, 2011

I was shocked to find out Peyton is married, he sure hides that fact and wife well, something tells me this is a marriage for convenience only, and I sure don’t see any little offspring coming any time soon, don’t thing it is possible for for Peyton’s type to carry children. I am thrilled for Eli and his wife, they looked so in love any time I saw photos of them or her at the games watching. And Peyton’s wife, is she where???????????Certainly not a big part of that big happy Manning family!

- violetdks on March 25th, 2011

Awww!!!!! I love them!! Congrats!!

- 08girl on March 25th, 2011

Capri, Cooper has sons so, if either wants to play, I doubt the genes will be in jeopordy.

- Cecelia on March 25th, 2011

I’m a Broncos fan, but I still love the Manning boys! Congratulations to Eli and Abby on their new arrival!

- Corrie on March 26th, 2011

Capri- As other posters have said, Eli and Peyton’s brother Cooper has a son, so there is a little boy in the family! Anyway, congrats to them!

- CelebBabyLover on March 26th, 2011

Much love & an abundance of joyful congratulations to Eli, Abby, & the entire Manning & McGrew families!! I love Eli (he is my team’s QB(a darn good one at that & cool as a cucumber)& he handles the NY media as if he grew up here; Abby is a classy, smart, beautiful woman & is a part of Big Blue as much as her hubby is. Belated thanks Abby for braving the arctic weather at Lambeau Field in the ’07/’08 NFC Championship Game! May I also say that you both chose such a beautiful name for your sugarplum darling. Blessings of happiness to your families always!

- Lisa on March 26th, 2011

Awww…my niece just celebrated her 1st birthday Monday.

- Terri on March 26th, 2011

Pardon me the PATRIOTS are the BEST!!!!!

- Donna on March 26th, 2011

whats up with The other Manning Brother, Peyton??? Married since 2001 and NO kids????? Strange coming from a family oriented family……They could adopt if they can’t have kids……..

- Denia on March 26th, 2011

I love that man, Eli Manning. Pure Yummy-ness. Congrats to the lovely couple and their sweet Ava!

- lvy on March 26th, 2011

Denia, I’m a Colts fan and most of us pretty much know that Peyton and his wife don’t want kids.

Its not for everyone.

- CF98 on March 26th, 2011

Violetdks, stop trying to create drama when there is none. Not everyone is comfortable in the spotlight. Peyton’s wife fully supports him but prefers to live a quiet life, running a real estate development company, instead.

Also, Denia, not every couple wants children. It’s not essential and I’m sure Peyton and Ashley are completely content with their lives.

- Cecelia on March 26th, 2011

With the lockout probably wiping out the entire next season, Eli gets to spend more time with his little one. At least he won’t be spending that time throwing 28 interceptions!

- David on March 27th, 2011

violetdks- What makes you say that Peyton’s “type” can’t carry children? I googled pictures of Peyton and his wife….and there’s nothing about her that screams “unable to carry children!”.

- CelebBabyLover on March 27th, 2011

“Girls can play football, sure, but they can’t have a career out of it.”

My point was, by the time Ava is a teenager, maybe girls CAN have a career out of it. It used to be not possible for girls to have a career in basketball and now they can.

- dsfg on March 27th, 2011

They all have nice names – Eli, Abby and Ava

- BabyBlogAddict on March 27th, 2011

dsfg- I was just thinking the same thing!

- CelebBabyLover on March 28th, 2011

Even though I can’t stand either of the Manning brothers and think they are complete overrated tools, I feel especially sad for his daughter. When I was growing up everyone was naming their daughters Jessica and Caitlyn and now everyone is naming their daughters Ava and Harper….How freaking boring and unoriginal. Now before all you haters start in on me, I’m not saying the kid should be named Apple or Pilot or anything too weird but come on-she’s gonna be one of like seven kids in preschool named Ava and the other seven are gonna be named some form of Aidan…ugh!

- Kira Doyle on March 28th, 2011

Watch out Kappa Delta; you’ve got a new legacy for Rush 2029!

- Jen on March 29th, 2011

Well Kira Doyle you don’t have to like the name but if you don’t like the Mannings why are you responding to this post? And please spare people your fake sympathy.

Chances are people are going to end up with the same name but its their child their choice to name her.

Besides where she may end up going to school she may be the only Ava there imagine that.

- CF98 on March 29th, 2011

Congrats to them!

- Brooklyn on March 29th, 2011

Congrats to them..Love the name..If Peyton and his wife don’t want to have children, what’s the big deal? Just because you are married, that does not mean that you have to have children..

- Becky P. on March 29th, 2011

@ Kira Doyle, please STFU. LOL. People are such douches. Congrats to the happy family, btw. Love the Mannings AND the baby’s name.

- mo11 on March 29th, 2011

Cooper Manning did not blow out a knee. He has a degenerative spine disorder called spinal stenosis and so he cannot play anymore.

- J.C. on March 30th, 2011

OMG!! Congrats!!! And Ava is such a pretty name! Eli and Abby will make wonderful parnets.

- Eli's #1 fan on March 31st, 2011

congrats to both – love the name.

- marion on April 1st, 2011

Congrads to the Manning Family!!

- Isabella on April 2nd, 2011

i look up to Eli manning ,he’s a person for me to look up to when i make a bad decision,when get into college i hope i can be trained by him so i can be a smart Quarterback like him ,thanks for being a great rolemodel congratulations on being a farther GO Giants!!!GO Ole miss!!!

- Daryl Lockridge on April 6th, 2011

Peyton and his wife just announced they had twins on March 31. Girl named Mosely and a boy named Marshall.

- pam on April 8th, 2011

I am pretty sure Peyton & his wife have children – twins a boy & a girl….

- Carrie on June 27th, 2011

Jon J i suggest u keep ur mouth SHUT!

- Grace on August 18th, 2011

my grandsons name is Peyton Eli , guess you can tell who we root for

- Anonymous on December 1st, 2011

You people are a trip Peyton and his wife are very private…. THEY JUST HAD TWINS Marshall & Mosley jeez you people comment on stuff like they are your friends… maybe you should get a life Im from MS, (didn’t appreciate the cross eyed comment aimed at Eli’s wife I guess I’ll never understand why people are cruel for no reason)my room was plastered with Archie and Ole Miss from wall to wall, and I have every article on all things Manning… Cooper was very talented he played wide receiver and they discovered a congenital neck disorder his freshman year at Ole Miss that should he continue to play could cause paralysis if playing a contact sport like football. Oh and I’m a female

- burkes on December 4th, 2011

I cant stand Eli MAnning or his Brother Peyton

- anonymous on February 6th, 2012