The New York Giants proved that the hype surrounding them is real on Sunday Night Football, as they cruised to a 28-20 victory over the Dallas Cowboys in Week 1. After a busy offseason, the Giants returned to action and proved beyond a doubt that they are going to be competitive in a loaded NFC East division.
Perhaps the biggest reason for optimism surrounding this team was the play of second-year quarterback Jaxson Dart, and it should come as no surprise that franchise legend Eli Manning has been keeping close tabs on him as he’s begun his career. In an exclusive interview with Heavy on Giants, Manning discussed the team’s upcoming season, including his expectations for Dart and new head coach John Harbaugh, while also shedding light on his new partnership with Jameson Irish Whiskey.
Eli Manning Gets Real on Jaxson Dart’s Development for the Giants
If there was any doubt that Dart was the real deal heading into his second season, he put it to rest with a dominant performance against the Cowboys in Week 1 (23/29, 230 YDS, 3 TD, 11 CAR, 54 YDS). Unsurprisingly, Manning has emerged as something of a mentor figure for Dart, and while he is just like everyone else and believes that Dart needs to do a better job protecting himself from big hits, he also thinks his improvisation skills are part of what makes him so great.
“I thought Jaxson had a good rookie season, and I think you saw his ability to make some big-time throws,” Manning relayed to Heavy on Giants. “The number one topic everybody talks about; you’ve got to slide. You’ve got to stay healthy … But you don’t want to lose his ability to extend plays, to make plays, to improvise, because you can get some big plays with that, and that’s a huge skill set that not everybody has, and you’ve got to use that to your advantage.”
In an effort to help Dart take the next step forward, New York hired Harbaugh to come in and be their next coach, with some reports suggesting Manning may have placed a phone call or two in an effort to help convince him to take the job. We saw right away the sort of impact Harbaugh can have on this team, and Manning believes he can bring a winning culture to town that this team has missed for the past few years.
“I think just getting the culture. When you’ve been in a program that hasn’t won a whole lot in the last few years, you’ve got to make sure the players believe they’re going to win games,” Manning said of Harbaugh’s impact. “As a coach that’s been so successful, won so many games, been to so many playoffs, I think he’s going to just bring that winning attitude back to the franchise, and I’m excited to watch it this year.”
One game doesn’t make a season, but the Giants are clearly capable of making some noise. It will require improvements across the board, but Manning believes New York could find its way back to the postseason this year. “You’d love to make the playoffs this year and go win whatever that is, 11 games, and I think that’s possible,” Manning admitted. “Can they win some of these close games? … The one-score games, they have not been on the right side of that, and they’ve got to find ways to win more of those.”
Eli Manning Discusses New Partnership With Jameson Irish Whiskey
Manning has been retired from football for a couple of years now, but he’s managed to keep himself busy by becoming a prominent figure in the world of sports media. He’s also become more and more involved in the world of business, with his latest endeavor seeing him partner with Jameson Irish Whiskey. With the 2026 campaign now underway, Manning opened up on his decision to work with Jameson for the new NFL season.
“I think first because they’re the official spirit sponsor of the NFL and working with the NFL closely, but also kicking off this campaign for ‘America’s Biggest Round,’ which is a $5 million nationwide bar tab that they are doing to celebrate the fans and the places that make game day so special,” Manning said. “I just love that campaign. I love that idea, and honored to partner with them and help spread that.”
As part of Manning’s work with Jameson, he’s helping promote their new “America’s Biggest Round” campaign, which will see the prominent spirits company partnering with bars across the America to pick up a $5 million tab for football fans across the country. With the NFL action officially underway, Manning revealed how fans can get in on the fun throughout the season.
“You can go to jamesonwhiskey.com. You can find which bars nationwide each week are part of that or in that partnership, and you can go on and when you get there, you’ll scan a QR code, and you can get the first round on Jameson, or you can get some cash back, or you can join the sweepstakes with that,” Manning shared. “It just comes back to recognizing that there’s something special about where you watch the game and how you watch it.”
Now that his career is over, Manning can be just like every other fan in America, meaning he can kick back, relax, and watch the action on Sundays. Sometimes he’ll pick up a drink to enjoy during the games, and unsurprisingly, when he does, it sounds like he is rolling with Jameson. “A Jameson Old Fashioned is usually my go-to,” he revealed. “I’m getting better at making it myself. I have not perfected it. I prefer when someone else makes it. They do it better than I do. But that’s a work in progress.”
Exclusive: Giants Legend Eli Manning Reveals True Thoughts on Jaxson Dart