Eli Manning is back with the New York Giants. After retiring at the end of the 2019 season, Eli Manning has made his return to football, this time not as a player. Manning has rejoined the Giants in a business operations & fan engagement role, the team officially announced today.
Along with this announcement, the Giants also announced that they have set a date for Eli’s jersey retirement and ring of honor ceremony. Eli Manning will officially have his number ten retired and be inducted into the New York Giants’ Ring of Honor on September 26th, the Giants’ Week 3 matchup with the Atlanta Falcons.
The Giants could have picked any of their home games to induct Eli this season. But the Giants ultimately picked the perfect game to induct Eli Manning into their ring of honor.
Perfect weather
The end of September is the perfect time of the year for football. It is usually sunny out and the temperature is in that perfect stage between the hot summer and the cold winter. Autumn, a beautiful season when the temperature is usually in the 70’s, the sun is out, and football is in full swing.
Football is a unique sport that is played in any weather. That includes the frigid cold of New Jersey’s December. Thankfully, the Giants opted not to schedule Eli’s ceremonial activities in the winter. This date should provide the teams with lovely weather, enticing more fans to pack the stadium full and give Eli Manning the ovation he deserves.
An exciting, winnable matchup
The Giants will likely be the favorites to win their Week 3 matchup this year. The Atlanta Falcons’ roster has depleted in recent years. They possessed one of the NFL’s worst defenses in 2020. Their long-term superstar on offense, wide receiver Julio Jones, was traded away this offseason. Granted, they still have some decent firepower on offense with Calvin Ridley and Kyle Pitts. But the Falcons are expected to be one of the league’s bottom feeders this season.
The new-and-improved New York Giants are expected to be at least middle-of-the-pack in 2021. The team possesses a top-ten defense and made many crucial acquisitions this offseason to fix their offense. Many believe the Giants can make the playoffs if everyone stays healthy this year. It might not be a walk in the park, but the Giants should be able to manage a win over the Falcons on Eli’s big day.
Historic connections
Eli Manning’s first-career start in 2004 was against the Atlanta Falcons. The only home postseason victory of Manning’s career came in 2012 against the Atlanta Falcons in the midst of a historic Super Bowl run. Now, to officially end Eli’s time on the field, he will have his jersey retired and his name placed in the New York Giants’ Ring of Honor during a matchup with the Atlanta Falcons. Poetic.