Ellen Heidingsfelder: Attorney, Cooper Manning's Wife

Ellen Heidingsfelder: Attorney, Cooper Manning’s Wife and Arch Manning’s Mom

Ellen Heidingsfelder is a New Orleans attorney and the wife of Cooper Manning, the oldest son of NFL great Archie Manning. She is also the mother of Texas quarterback Arch Manning.

Quick Facts

Detail	What can be confirmed
Full name	Ellen Heidingsfelder (listed professionally as Ellen Heidingsfelder Manning)
Hometown	New Orleans, Louisiana
Profession	Attorney, licensed in Louisiana
Practice areas	Insurance defense and products liability (per Martindale-Hubbell)
Education	University of Virginia (B.A.), Loyola University New Orleans (J.D.)
Husband	Cooper Manning
Children	May, Arch and Heid
Birth date	Not officially confirmed

Timeline

Year	Milestone
1986	Helps Academy of the Sacred Heart win its first state volleyball title
1991	Earns her B.A. from the University of Virginia
1994	Earns her J.D. from Loyola and is admitted to the Louisiana bar
1999	Marries Cooper Manning
2002	Daughter May is born
2004	Son Arch is born
2006	Son Heid is born
2015	Inducted into Sacred Heart’s athletics hall of fame

Who Is Ellen Heidingsfelder?

Ellen grew up in New Orleans and still lives and works there. Most people first hear her name because of the Manning family. Her husband, Cooper, is the older brother of Peyton and Eli Manning and works as a businessman and TV host. Her son Arch is the starting quarterback at the University of Texas as of September 2026.

Ellen stays out of the spotlight. She rarely shares details about her work or private life, and she shows up in family photos far more often than on camera. That’s why many online profiles repeat the same few facts and pad the rest with guesses.

Education and Legal Career

Ellen attended the Academy of the Sacred Heart in New Orleans. She then went to the University of Virginia for her bachelor’s degree and came home for law school at Loyola University New Orleans.

A Martindale-Hubbell profile under the name Ellen Heidingsfelder Manning lists the same schools. It also shows she was admitted to practice in Louisiana and in the federal district courts for the Eastern, Middle and Western Districts of Louisiana. Her listed practice areas are insurance defense and products liability. In plain terms, insurance defense means defending people or companies in claims an insurer covers. Products liability cases claim that a product caused someone harm.

Her current firm isn’t publicly confirmed. Some sports sites also flip her schools, putting Loyola first and Virginia second. The attorney directory and People’s profile both list Virginia for her undergraduate degree and Loyola for law.

An Athlete Before an Attorney

Ellen was a standout at Sacred Heart. She played middle hitter on the volleyball team that won the school’s first state championship, and the Dallas Morning News has reported she was MVP of that title game. She also earned all-district honors in the high jump. Sacred Heart later added her to its athletics hall of fame.

Her family hasn’t forgotten it. After Arch broke a 67-yard touchdown run against UTSA in 2024, Cooper credited his wife for the speed. On a 2022 podcast, he described her as someone who’s good at everything, from karaoke and painting to mahjong and golf.

Their daughter May won her own state title and MVP award at Sacred Heart in 2020. She has said she gets her volleyball talent from her mom, and that Ellen’s achievements get overlooked because the Mannings draw so much attention.

Marriage to Cooper Manning

Ellen and Cooper both grew up in New Orleans. People reported that they started dating in the early 1990s. They married in 1999. Some profiles give the wedding date as March 27, but major outlets only say 1999.

Faith was part of their story. Cooper grew up Baptist, while Ellen comes from a big Catholic family. He has said he decided to join the Catholic Church so the family would share one faith.

Their Children

Ellen and Cooper have three children. May, the oldest, followed her mother into volleyball at Sacred Heart and went on to the University of Virginia. Arch, the middle child, played at Isidore Newman School, where his father and uncles also went, before starring at Texas. Heid, the youngest, played center on Newman’s football team.

What Isn’t Confirmed

Ellen’s low profile leaves gaps, and content sites fill them with guesses. Here’s what to treat with caution:

Birth date and age. Many profile sites list December 20, 1968, which would make her 57 as of September 2026. No official record or major news outlet confirms it.
Practice area. Several profiles call her a family, corporate or immigration lawyer. The professional directory listing says insurance defense and products liability, so go with that.
Net worth. Estimates from $1 million to $5 million circulate, but none cite a source. Attorney pay isn’t public.
The “she told him to see a doctor” story. Cooper’s football career ended in 1992 after a spinal stenosis diagnosis. A popular version says Ellen noticed his pain and urged him to get checked. It appears mostly on profile sites that don’t name a source.

FAQs

What kind of lawyer is Ellen Heidingsfelder?
Her Martindale-Hubbell profile lists insurance defense and products liability as her practice areas. She was admitted to the Louisiana bar in 1994.

How old is Ellen Heidingsfelder?
Her birth date is often listed as December 20, 1968, which would make her 57 as of September 2026. No official record or major news outlet confirms that date.

Where did Ellen Heidingsfelder go to college and law school?
She earned a bachelor’s degree from the University of Virginia and a law degree from Loyola University New Orleans. She attended the Academy of the Sacred Heart in New Orleans before college.

What is Ellen Heidingsfelder’s net worth?
There is no reliable public figure. Estimates online run from about $1 million to $5 million, but none cite a source.