Note: The following article contains spoilers from ‘Chad Powers first episode.’
The Hulu comedy series ‘Chad Powers,’ which premiered in September 2025, offers a unique and often humorous exploration of the consequences of fame in American Football. The series’ premise is based on a viral ESPN sketch in which former NFL QB Eli Manning attempted a Penn State open tryout under an alter ego. Manning wore a wig, a mustache, and the #200 trial jersey, pretending to be a rookie quarterback while adopting a deliberately exaggerated voice.
That sketch, which captured national attention, became a foundational reference point for the series. Glenn Powell plays Russ Holliday, a disgraced former quarterback, in the show, who mirrors Manning’s alter ego. Holliday, as Chad Powers, wears the same disguise and adopts the same over-the-top voice, making his return to football both striking and familiar to viewers who remember the original sketch.
Glenn Powell’s Chad Powers Explores the Fragility of Fame and the Weight of Public Mistakes in American Football
The 3 minutes of the first episode of the series begin with a flashback to Holliday’s days as a quarterback for the Oregon Ducks. In a pivotal scene during the Rose Bowl against Georgia, Holliday is on the verge of scoring a touchdown when he drops the football. That single mistake cost Oregon what would have been a highly improbable but decisive victory.
The tension in that moment is heightened by Holliday’s personal investment and the expectations placed upon him. After the fumble, Holliday has a public meltdown, during which he punches the father of a cancer patient. Holliday’s punch lands in a way that the father ends up on top of his kid’s wheelchair, which leads to the father and son on the field. This incident, shocking and unforgivable, is broadcast nationally and goes viral. It defines Holliday’s public image for years to come. Fans and media outlets no longer see him as a skilled quarterback. After that moment, he becomes a figure of ridicule. His career ends, and his personal reputation suffers irreparably.
Eight years later, Holliday resurfaces under a new identity to play quarterback for the fictional South Georgia Catfish. The series uses this context to examine both the challenges and opportunities of personal reinvention. We see Holliday navigating the world of minor league football, which is familiar in some ways but entirely different from the national spotlight he once occupied. His alter ego, Chad Powers, allows him to engage with other players, coaches, and fans in an impossible manner as Holliday. The series presents these interactions with comedic timing and invites reflection on the fragility of fame and the long-term impact of public mistakes.
Glenn Powell’s Duality Highlights the Stories of Athletes Overshadowed by Stardom
Glenn Powell’s performance as both Holliday and Powers is central to the series’ resonance. We watch him move between a disgraced former quarterback who cannot escape his past and an exaggerated character who temporarily shields him from public scrutiny. The series references the original Eli Manning sketch not merely for humor but as a lens to explore how identity, performance, and public perception intersect. It also illustrates how athletes, even highly skilled ones, are often remembered more for their worst moments than their accomplishments. We see Holliday learning that fame, after all, is precarious, and a single error can have lasting repercussions.
The show also critiques the culture surrounding professional sports. The fictional South Georgia Catfish provide a setting in which rules, egos, and the peculiarities of minor league football create situations that are sometimes more comical than tragic. Yet the series does not excuse Holliday’s behavior. Instead, it presents the narrative in layers that allow the audience to consider the stakes of fame, accountability, and the possibility of second chances. We are invited to find humor in the circumstances but are also prompted to reflect on the consequences of public meltdowns and personal misjudgments.
Holliday’s journey remains unresolved and will unfold with time as the series continues. We see him attempting to reclaim respect and pursue redemption, but the series, in the first four episodes released on Hulu, does not offer a simple resolution. This allows us to consider the complexity of reinvention, the enduring effects of mistakes, and the tension between public perception and private identity. The story, after all, is not just about one football player or one viral sketch. It is about how fame, reputation, and human error interact, allowing viewers to discuss and interpret the characters’ decisions and consequences.
