Eric Church Reveals Eli Manning's Alleged Fear of Holding Fish

Country music star Eric Church claims that former NFL quarterback Eli Manning was once too afraid to hold a fish he caught, requiring Church's assistance. Church shared the anecdote with Pro Football Hall of Famer Randy Moss during an episode of Moss's YouTube series, "Chasing 10," filmed at Church's private fishing property near Nashville.

According to Church, Manning visited his lake about six months prior to the filming of the episode. When Moss inquired about Manning's fishing prowess, Church revealed, "I think Eli's scared to hold 'em. I had to hold the fish for him."

Moss expressed disbelief, asking if Church was referring to one of the Manning brothers. Upon confirmation that it was indeed Eli, Moss responded with a chuckle, "Eli, man. Come on, Eli."

Church further elaborated, comparing the situation to how one might handle a child's catch. "I held them all for him. It's kind of like you do with your kid. You catch them and hand them to him and say, 'Here, y'all take a picture.'"

The story took on added significance as Moss was a player on the New England Patriots team that lost to Manning's New York Giants in Super Bowl XLII. Church noted this history when recounting the tale to Moss.

Church's property, an expansive 1,600-acre estate just outside Nashville, is described as a bass fishing haven with multiple lakes stocked with largemouth bass. Church himself has reported catching several large bass there, including a personal best of 11.2 pounds. During the outing with Moss, they reportedly caught fish throughout the day, including a 6.7-pound largemouth and another estimated at nearly 8 pounds, though they did not land a double-digit bass.

Moss, an avid outdoorsman, has previously caught a 10-pound bass on his series, which features him fishing with various athletes and celebrities. The "Chasing 10" series also supports the Children's Cancer Research Fund, with the boat used in the show being raffled for the organization.