Chad Powers heads to Hulu

Glen Powell and the Manning brothers turn a viral Chad Powers sketch into a scripted Hulu series.

Chad Powers Brings Hollywood Talent to a Football Comedy

THR's cover story explains how Chad Powers becomes a scripted Hulu comedy. Glen Powell stars as the disgraced former quarterback and helps shape the show as a writer and producer, while Peyton and Eli Manning co-produce. The project grows from Eli Manning’s 2022 Penn State open tryout video and reunites Powell with Waldron to adapt it into a six-episode season. The series follows Russ Holliday, eight years after a fumbled championship moment, who goes undercover as Chad Powers at the fictional University of South Georgia. Real college teams appear in the season, and the show deliberately avoids the Rudy-like inspirational arc.

Behind the scenes, Powell trained with quarterback coach Nic Shimonek to nail the throws, and extensive prosthetics and voice work were developed to sell Powers on screen. The Mannings help secure access to campus branding and media rights, while Disney’s involvement signals a broader strategy to pair sports storytelling with streaming growth. The project marks Omaha production banner’s first foray into scripted work, a move Powell says is a chance to explore new craft on a big stage.

Powell's move from blockbuster films to a scripted series built on a viral gag is a modern test of how memes turn into long-form content. Pairing Powell with the Mannings creates scale but invites scrutiny over the use of real figures and college brands. The show leans into the lie at its center, a deliberate inversion of the truth that fuels comedy, and that premise could backfire if viewers feel the project exploits a real moment for laughs.

Moreover, the project sits at a crossroads for sports media. Disney's streaming push and ESPN ties could boost exposure, but rights, safety of real programs, and potential backlash around Johnny Manziel's past raise questions about the show's boundaries. If it lands, Chad Powers could redefine how sports legends cross into scripted entertainment; if not, it may mark the limits of branding over storytelling.

Highlights

Time will tell if this blend of myth and craft can stand on its own.