Eli Manning Met With the Chicago Bears: Report

Eli Manning, New York Giants
May 20, 2019; East Rutherford, NJ, USA; New York Giants quarterback Eli Manning answers questions from media during organized team activities at Quest Diagnostic Training Center. Mandatory Credit: Noah K. Murray-USA TODAY Sports

Former New York Giants quarterback Eli Manning is retired. Or, so we thought. NFL reporter Cole Wright tweeted that Manning was having dinner with the Bears at the Oriole restaurant in Chicago on Wednesday night.

What’s that all about…?

It is well-known the Bears are not sold on Mitchell Trubisky and are looking for a veteran who can come in and possible displace him. Manning is just one of many veteran QBs that will be available this offseason. Tom Brady, Drew Brees, Philip Rivers, Teddy Bridgewater and Jameis Winston are some other big names the Bears might be looking at.

From BearsWire:

Manning’s ties to the Bears are very loose at this point. New quarterbacks coach John DeFilippo served as the offensive quality control coach for the Giants from 2005-2006 when Manning was quarterback, but that’s where the connection ends.

 

Is the team turning over every stone when it comes to finding a veteran who can push Trubisky, who crashed down to earth last season following a pro-bowl caliber sophomore campaign in 2018? Or are they simply picking the brain of one of the most accomplished passers in the last 15 years?

 

It is important to note that while Manning did retire, he was set to hit free agency in March. If he decides to unretire, the Giants would not have control over his rights and Manning would become a free agent.

It sure looked like Manning was done when he retired in January, ending his farewell speech with: “Once an Giant, always a Giant. For me, it’s only a Giant.”

UPDATE

As it turns out, the report was false as per ESPN 1000’s David Kaplan