Getty Eli Manning
News broke late Wednesday evening that quarterback Eli Manning will be officially calling it a career at a New York Giants press conference scheduled for this Friday. While the news didn’t come as a shock, it still sent shockwaves throughout the NFL, as former teammates, opponents, and coaches of Manning came out of the woodwork to heap praise on the potential future Hall of Fame signal-caller.
Tom Coughlin Thanks Eli Manning For All He’s Done
One of the more emotional and heartfelt statements to circulate the web following Manning’s retirement news breaking was from the quarterback’s former coach Tom Coughlin. Coughlin coached Manning from the first day he entered the NFL all the way up until 2016.
Here’s what Coughlin had to say via a statement provided by the his Jay Fund Foundation.
“Eli, I want to thank you for all that you have done for the Giants, for the NFL, and for the community. You and I came to the Giants together, and it has been an honor and a privilege to work with you and to be your coach. Thank you for all the great memories. I can’t wait to see what the next chapter holds for you and Abby and the children. You are certainly deserving of all the accolades that come your way.”
“In the locker room, you were always an incredible combination of a quiet leader and fierce competitor; you represented the Giants in all matters with the utmost integrity and your leadership and skill as a quarterback were key to two Super Bowl victories and being named MVP twice. But it’s the person you are that will be missed the most by your teammates and the entire Giants organization.”
“Archie and Olivia should be so proud of the son they raised. Your words and actions epitomize who you are as a player, a teammate, a dad, and a human being. Thank you for all the joy you’ve given to everyone you’ve touched as a New York Giant.”
#ThankYouEli
Eli Manning may never go down in history as the greatest quarterback to ever play the game. Hell, he may never even be mentioned amongst the top-half of the prolific signal-callers to make their way through the NFL. However, it’s become evidently clear within just moments of his retirement news breaking that Manning has left a lasting impact on the game of football well beyond just statistics and Super Bowl trophies, one that lingers deeply with his fans, former teammates, opponents, and coaches alike.
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