Getty Eli Manning of the New York Giants
Late Wednesday, news broke of something that New York Giants fans have been expecting to hear for quite a while. Per ESPN’s Dan Graziano and Jordan Raanan, quarterback Eli Manning is expected to announce his retirement from the NFL in a press conference on Friday, ending a marvelous 16-year NFL career. Along the way Manning won two Super Bowls with the Giants, earning Super Bowl MVP awards to go alongside each of those two Lombardi Trophies.
With multiple Super Bowls in his pocket, Manning conquered what many NFL players would describe as the most difficult thing to accomplish on a football field. Yet, now the question is, did Manning do enough while on the football field to be awarded with yet another honor? Specifically, a gold jacket and a bust in Canton, Ohio.
Is Eli Manning a Hall of Famer?
Despite being one of the quieter and to-himself NFL superstars of his time, Eli Manning tends to be one of the more controversial figures whenever his name is brought up in Hall of Fame discussions. Despite hoisting two Lombardi Trophies, earning two Super Bowl MVPs, and earning four Pro Bowl nods along his 16-year luxurious career, many fans and members of the media still seem to strongly oppose Manning’s potential future inclusion in the Hall of Fame.
The key argument that is usually used against Manning is actually one I can somewhat understand. It is true that Manning never stood out as one of the truly elite players at his position during any specific stint of his NFL career. However, you know which players were at one point deemed elite during Manning’s career? Guys like Daunte Culpepper. Now, no knock on Culpepper, but he doesn’t have two Super Bowl trophies on his resume.
Normally, you’d like to be able to turn on the TV and within five minutes see Hall of Fame written all over a specific player. Yet, while this is the case for some players in Canton, ala Gale Sayers and Barry Sanders, some players carve out their hall of fame with a sustained run of success.
Manning was never one known for flash. His game was not built on flick of the wrist arm strength or no-look passes and lighting up scoreboards in a Patrick Mahomes-like fashion. However, that’s not what the Giants asked of him while he was at the helm of their offense. Yet, over his extensive run in New York, Manning has littered his name throughout the NFL record books with statistical dominance. He ranks seventh in NFL history in passing touchdowns with 366, and also in passing yards with 57,023.
There’s something to be said about sustained success, even if it falls in line as being perceived as more “good” rather than “great.” Manning helped the Giants establish themselves as one of the more prevalent franchises in all of football during his tenure with the team. All this while maintaining his presence as an outstanding citizen and role model, evident by his Bart Starr Award this season.
Manning has two Super Bowls over his career, more than the majority of players currently in Canton. He also has the records, accolades, and longevity that voters look for in a Hall of Famer. So, while it may be a fun topic of conversation at the moment to debate Manning’s belonging amongst the NFL’s best, there’s really no denying that within five years or so, Manning will be adding a gold jacket to his attire.
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