Caitlin Clark Takes on Eli Manning in a Mini Basketball Challenge — with Shocking Results

The NFL star beat the WNBA player 76-51

Caitlin Clark and Eli Manning. Photo: Jeff Dean/Getty; Bryan Bedder/Getty

Caitlin Clark may be an all-star on the basketball court, but she couldn’t beat Eli Manning when it came to a game of Pop-A-Shot.

On the latest episode of The Eli Manning Show, the former NFL star handedly beat the Indiana Fever guard, 76-51.

“I’ve done a lot of games on this show with guests,” Manning, 44, told the WNBA star. “I’ve never beat anyone before.”

“Well, I’m honored to be the first,” said Clark, 23, who admitted she’s not great at the miniature basketball game.

Manning, who was a quarterback for the New York Giants for 16 seasons, asked Clark what the past five years have been like as she’s transitioned from college basketball to the WNBA. She acknowledged the transition has been “really fast,” but she loves it.

Shaun O’Hara, Caitlin Clark and Eli Manning on ‘The Eli Manning Show’.The Eli Manning Show/YouTube

“I feel like I was just in high school. I feel like I should still be in high school, honestly,” Clark told Manning on the show. “But college was great and being in Indianapolis is a pretty good city. I don’t know what you think about that, but your brother might agree.”

(Clark was hinting at Manning’s brother, Peyton Manning, formerly the star quarterback and Super Bowl champion with Indianapolis Colts.)

Clark played for the University of Iowa and graduated in May 2024, joining the WNBA later that year. In 2024, she was named Rookie of the Year and was selected to the All-WNBA First Team. Her stellar performance has brought a wave of new fans to women’s basketball.

Eli asked how it felt to bring fresh attention to the WNBA.

“I don’t honestly think about it a ton. You just kind of go out there and try to do your job every single night,” Clark told Eli. “But the amount of fans that show up and cheer for us, whether we’re at home or on the road, you never take that for granted.”

Caitlin Clark playing for the Indiana Fever on Sept. 15, 2024.Justin Casterline/Getty

At the end of the episode, Eli challenged her to another competition involving mini golf, “Sink It or Say It.”

Clark had some success, but also missed a few putts, forcing her to answer some of Eli’s questions. In the last round, Clark had to name her favorite NFL player.

“Former, I’m going Peyton. I actually had a Peyton Manning jersey growing up,” Clark said. “Not to make you mad, Eli.”

“It makes me very mad,” Eli joked back.

“Current, I’m going Patrick Mahomes,” said Clark, choosing the quarterback for the Kansas City Chiefs. “You know I’m a big Chiefs fan.”

But Clark was willing to change her decision for a signed jersey.

“Can I get a signed jersey, then you’ll move into first place,” she told Eli. Clark walked away with a blue Giants jersey, sporting her number, 22.

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