Eli Manning will be wearing blue for the foreseeable future after agreeing to the terms of a four-year contract extension on Friday. (Getty)
It’s time to pay Eli Manning.
After weeks of back and forth, the long-time quarterback and New York Giants officially agreed to the terms of a contract extension on Friday, just a few days before Big Blue opens the season in Dallas on Sunday night.
Manning is expected to officially sign the extension on Friday afternoon after meeting with Giants owner John Mara on Thursday night.
Here’s what you need to know:
1. Manning Agreed to a Four-Year, $84 Million Extension
Eli Manning is expected to officially sign a four-year contract extension with the New York Giants on Friday. (Getty)
Manning and the New York Giants agreed to the extension after weeks of talks and discussions between the two parties.
When Eli Manning walked out of his meeting with #Giants owner John Mara last night, both sides knew it was getting done. Long time coming.
The deal is similar to extensions given to San Diego Chargers Philip Rivers and Seattle Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson.Manning’s $21 million average per year salary is just behind Wilson’s and just ahead of Rivers. Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers is still the NFL’s highest-paid QB with an average year salary of $22 million.
2. Manning Wanted to Finalize the Contract Before the Start of the Season
The Giants quarterback had said earlier this week that he was anxious to finalize the specifics of his extension before New York took on the Dallas Cowboys on Sunday night. He told reporters he’s “not a big fan of contract negotiations during the season.”
This new extension keeps Manning under contract in New York through the 2020 season, when he will be 39. Through his career, the former first-round draft pick has already collected $129.49 million from the Giants.
3. The Deal Includes $65 Million in Guaranteed Money
Eli Manning was named Super Bowl MVP in each of the Giants’ championship victories. (Getty)
In addition to four more years with the Giants, Manning’s contract extension also includes $65 million in guarantees as well as a no-trade clause.
According to NFL Media Insider, Ian Rapoport, the last hurdle facing the contract was its offset language and while there wasn’t any official word on that, the deal is still expected to be completed. Also, Manning agreed to this:
Large RT @RVacchianoNYDN: The deal also includes a $31 million signing bonus and a reduced 2015 salary that presumably will clear cap space.
Vacchiano added that the deal includes $68.5 million to be paid out over the first three years. Manning will earn $101.5 million over the next five seasons.
4. Manning Has Never Missed a Start Under Center
Since taking over as the Giants starting quarterback, Manning, 34, has not missed a start in 11 seasons and owns nearly every New York passing record. That’s 167 consecutive regular-season games, the third-longest streak in NFL history. He’s also a two-time Super Bowl MVP.
Manning’s agent, Tom Condon, said that those factors, plus the QB’s unflappable nature in the New York media spotlight, played a big-time role in his contract negotiations.
5. Manning Competed 63.1 Percent of His Passes Last Year – a Career High
New York Giants quarterback Eli Manning has been an iron-man under center since he took over as the team’s starter in 2004. (Getty)
Working in a brand-new offensive scheme, Manning had one of his most productive seasons under center, at least when it came to filling out his stat line. Although the Giants, once again, missed the playoffs, Manning was productive out of the pocket, completing 63.1 percent of his passes and throwing for 4,410 yards and 30 touchdowns.
Coming into his 12th season, Manning boasts an average of 235.2 yards per game, 259 total touchdowns and 39,755 yards through the air. He’s thrown 185 interceptions in 169 total games but is coming off a 14-pick season last year, the fewest of his entire career.