SI

Charles Barkley Burned All his Underwear Years Ago So Manning Brothers Got Him a Gift

Lopsided 'MNF' game leads to prop comedy.

Kyle Koster

Eli Manning presents a present to Charles Barkley, who won't wear it.
Eli Manning presents a present to Charles Barkley, who won't wear it. / Omaha Productions on X
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Charles Barkley, now an even closer part of the ESPN family, swung by the ManningCast during Monday Night Football. Since the game was already well on its way to be decided with the Cardinals holding a late 17-point lead over the Cowboys, the Manning brothers did some prop comedy.

Peyton Manning, citing research, asked Barkley if it was true that the "Round Mound of Rebound" burned all of his underwear in a fire two decades and has been going without drawers since.

Barkley confirmed that this is true and that he had a big ol' blaze after having an epiphany that underwear is not essential.

"I'm also going Comanche ... is it Comanche?" Barkley asked before being informed that the proper term is "commando."

That could have been the end of it but why create a little bit of great television when one could create even more excellent television?

The Mannings had production put up a photoshopped picture of Barkley burning all his skivvies, which allowed the basketball Hall of Famer to share that the fire in question raged a good six-seven feet high above terra firma.

Eli saved the best bit for last as he pulled out a comically large set of briefs out of who knows where and presented them as a gift for the ManningCast guest.

Barkley said the Mannings could go ahead and send the pair of oversized drawers if they signed them so he could display them somewhere prominently in his home. Eli seemed concerned that the joke underwear might not fit a guy who famously does not wear underwear, which allowed Barkley the chance to plug a weight-loss system.

How can you not be romantic about alternate telecasts running out the clock on a largely uninteresting game?

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Kyle Koster
KYLE KOSTER

Kyle Koster is an assistant managing editor at Sports Illustrated covering the intersection of sports and media. He was formerly the editor in chief of The Big Lead, where he worked from 2011 to '24. Koster also did turns at the Chicago Sun-Times, where he created the Sports Pros(e) blog, and at Woven Digital.

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