The New York Giants are entering a new era. No longer are we in the Eli Manning era. With the close of the decade came the end of Manning’s tenure as New York’s starting quarterback. We now enter a new, young, and exciting era. The era of Daniel Jones is upon us.
Daniel Jones took over as the starter in Week 3 of the 2019 NFL season. Eli Manning did get to make two more starts towards the end of the season with Jones injured, but those games were not a “welcome back” to Eli, they were more of a “farewell.”
Since the season’s end, there has been some speculation as to what Eli Manning will do next. When asked about coaching, Manning explained that he “felt like” he was a coach this year. Eli also stated that he “didn’t enjoy it that much.” However, more recently, Giants’ owner John Mara refused to close the door on Eli Manning.
John Mara made it clear that he would welcome back Eli Manning as a backup quarterback if that is what Eli wanted. However, Eli still does not know what he wants. John Mara explained that Eli is not fully decided on what he wants to do yet and that the two of them would discuss things further in the near future.
The question is, what are Eli’s options? What is it that Eli Manning is contemplating in his final decision? Obviously, retirement must sound appealing to a 39-year-old father and husband. But will Eli’s love for the game suck him back into the NFL?
Continue As Daniel Jones’s Backup
Eli Manning started four games for the New York Giants in 2019. The season’s other twelve games featured rookie quarterback Daniel Jones in the starting role. Eli had to succumb to a new role as a backup quarterback- a role of which Eli has stated he was not a big fan.
“I doubt it. I doubt it,” Manning said the day after the Giants completed a 4-12 season where he spent most of his time as the second-string quarterback. “Backing up is not real fun.” – via Jordan Raanan of ESPN
It is hard to believe there is a market for Eli Manning outside of New York. Yes, Eli is a highly-accomplished NFL quarterback. But there are not many teams around the league looking for 39-year-old quarterbacks to thrust into the starting role and build around. The league is getting younger, faster, and more dynamic. Teams are looking for succession plans, not recession plans. If Eli wants to continue playing football, he will likely have to stay where he is and continue as Daniel Jones’s backup.
Retirement
Eli Manning has been in the NFL for 16 years. He has played in 236 football games and has won two Super Bowls and two Super Bowl MVPs. Manning is one of the most accomplished quarterbacks in the history of football and is sure to be in the Hall of Fame one day.
For all the peaks that Giants fans have witnessed Eli climb, they have seen him fall into quite a few valleys as well. The Giants won only eight games with Eli Manning as their starting quarterback in 2017 and 2018. Manning has been benched twice in the last three years. The most recent benching, however, is permanent. The Giants are Daniel Jones’s team now. He is the face of the franchise.
All good things come to an end, which includes Eli Manning’s prestigious career as the New York Giants’ quarterback. No one has ever embodied what it means to be a New York Giant, both on the field and off the field, more than Eli Manning. But do Giants fans really want to watch Eli Manning lose more games?
It would be tragic to see Manning’s perfectly even career record of 117-117 fall below .500. Maybe now is the perfect time for Manning to kick his feet up, crack open a cold one, and watch some football at home on Sundays.