We know by now that the New York Giants will have Eli Manning with them this season. Not on the field in his former role as quarterback, but in the front office helping with the business side of the organization.
It seems like Manning will have a busy 2021 as it was announced earlier in the offseason that he’ll host a show on ESPN+, but that isn’t the only job on his hands this year. After taking some time away from the game, Eli has decided the front office is where he belongs. What did he have to say about this? Well, according to what he told Giants.com, it looks like this was a plan for some time now.
“I wanted to take a year off anyway… But I was hoping there would be a spot back with the organization to do the things because of what it’s meant to me. The Giants organization is what I know. Since I’ve been out of college, this is all I’ve done and all I’ve ever wanted to do was do well for the Giants and win games and represent the organization in a positive way, and hopefully I can continue to do that,” Manning said.
It seems like the COVID-19 crisis delayed a deal getting worked out. Supposedly, Manning wasn’t allowed at the team’s practice facility last year due to health and safety restrictions. But when those restrictions eased up, it was a meeting between Manning and John Mara that got things rolling.
“I sat down with John Mara and kind of said, ‘Hey, I’d like to get back involved if you think there’s a spot for me or a way that I can help out.’ From there, we did some brainstorming and figured out a way for me to get back involved,” Manning elaborated further.
The meeting did make the news back when it happened, but it was unknown back then if Manning would actually take a role with the team.
Now, we know the answer. It took longer than some might have expected, but it’s not surprising at all that both sides are back together again. Manning, after all, can boast being the quarterback of the Giants for a decade and a half. After all that time, it’s not so easy to just part ways for good.