In his year-end press conference, veteran quarterback Eli Manning left the door open to all potential options except one — returning to the New York Giants.
Manning may retire or he may not, but one thing is for certain, he will not be returning to East Rutherford in 2020 to backup Daniel Jones. As such, his Giants career has officially come to an end.
With Manning’s time in New York over, we take a look back at the top 10 moments for No. 10 (in no particular order).
Punching his ticket to Canton
Eli Manning arguably solidified his spot in the Hall of Fame when he knocked off the greatest the New England Patriots for the second time in four years to win Super Bowl XLVI. He also captured his second Super Bowl MVP award becoming only the fifth player in NFL history to accomplish this feat. Manning joined Tom Brady Bart Starr, Joe Montana, and Terry Bradshaw in this category.
Manning is also the only quarterback in league history to win a Super Bowl in a year where his running game and defense were both ranked in the bottom five of the NFL.
Upset for the ages
A 27-year-old and highly scrutinized Eli Manning set the 2007 NFL playoffs on fire going 4-0 with 854 passing yards, six touchdowns and only one interception. He capped off this remarkable stretch by upsetting the 18-0 New England Patriots to capture his first Super Bowl title.
Manning went 19-of-34 for 255 yards, two touchdowns (including the game-winner), and one interception to earn his first of two Super Bowl MVP trophies.
Helmet Catch
Down four points with 1:15 left to play in the fourth quarter of Super XLII, Eli Manning found some magic on third-and-five as he broke free from the grasp of several defenders to heave a prayer down the middle of the field to David Tyree.
What happened next will forever be cemented into the NFL history book as Tyree made an incomparable 32-yard catch, which he secured against his helmet with Patriots safety Rodney Harrison hanging on his back.
This set the Giants up at the 24-yard line with time dwindling down as Manning would fine Plaxico Burress for the game-winning with 39 seconds left.
Manning to Manningham
For the second time in four seasons, Manning and the Giants trailed the Patriots late in the fourth quarter of the Super Bowl. It was up to Manning to once again lead a comeback drive with time running out.
Starting at their own 10-yard line, Manning arguably made the best throw of his career (and maybe in NFL history), dropping a 38-yard dime in the bucket to Mario Manningham, who was somehow able to get both feet down in bounds with two defenders on him.
This play ultimately sparked a 90-yard drive from the Giants offense, which ended in an Ahmad Bradshaw touchdown run that wound up as the game-winning score.
Manning to Burress
Another all-time Manning moment came just a few plays after the Tyree catch in Super Bowl XLII.
With 39 seconds left down four points inside the 20, Manning lobbed the game-winning touchdown pass in the back corner of the end zone to his favorite target Plaxico Burress. This secured the Giants’ first Super Bowl title since 1990 and one of the biggest upsets in Sports history.
Manning, who led the Giants down the field to throw the go-ahead touchdown, was named Super Bowl MVP. This magical postseason run and story book finish was the start of Manning’s legacy as one of the most clutch quarterbacks of all-time.
Hanging tough in the 2011 NFC Championship
This game solidified Manning’s toughness as the Niners defense hit him 12 times and sacked him six times. Alas, Manning was able to get back up time and again to go 32-of-58 for 316 yards and two touchdowns including the go-ahead score to Mario Manningham with under 10-minutes left in the fourth quarter.
However, the Niners were able to tie things up 17-17, which saw the game go into overtime. After Kyle Williams fumbled the return for the second time of the night, this set the Giants and Lawrence Tynes up for a game-winning field goal, which sent them back to the Super Bowl.
Final home start
In what was likely Manning’s final start with the Giants, Manning rose to the occasion in Week 15 of 2019 to snap a franchise-worst nine game losing streak.
The veteran quarterback was starting his second straight game in place of injured rookie Daniel Jones. In this contest, Manning went 20-for-28 with 283 yards, two touchdowns, and three interceptions. While it wasn’t all pretty, the Giants offense broke out in the second half to thump the Dolphins 36-20 as Manning improved his career record to an even 117-117.
Met by his family in the tunnel, Manning was able to jog off his home field as the winning starter for likely the final time in his career. And to a thunderous and emotional ovation at that.
Game-winning TD pass against Broncos 2005
This game was sort of a coming out party for the 24-year-old Manning. Two nights prior, Giants players were informed that co-owners Wellington Mara and Bob Tisch were both very sick with cancer.
This was Manning’s first year as a full-time starter and the Giants trailed 23-10 in the fourth quarter to the Broncos. After a Tiki Barber touchdown cut the deficit to five, Manning would get the ball back on the Giants own 17-yard line with 3:29 left to play. The young signal caller would lead the first clutch comeback of his young career by leading the offense into the red zone with only 12 seconds to play.
From there, Manning scrambled around on the final play to find receiver Amani Toomer for the game-winning score. This comeback was even more special as the team rallied to win with their owners recently released from the hospital.
Game-winning TD against 49ers in 2015
The Giants defense gave away another late lead to the 49ers on Sunday Night Football, which left Manning and the offense limited time to complete a comeback with under two minutes to go.
What was even more impressive about this comeback drive was that Manning was able to lead them down the field and somehow break-off significant yardage against a prevent defense.
Manning capped off the comeback with a last second touchdown throw fitting the ball in to his tight end Larry Donnell between three defenders.
Walter Payton Man of the Year award
Over the course of his 16-year career, Manning worked with various charities such as the March of Dimes, Guiding Eyes for the Blind, American Red Cross and the Scholastic’s ClassroomCare program. Both he and his wife also founded the Eli and Abby Manning Children’s Clinics in Jackson, Mississippi.
In 2016, Manning and Cardinals wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald were both honored as co-winners of the Walter Payton Man of the Year award.
Following this award, Manning also started “Tackle Kids’ Cancer” in partnership with Hackensack University Medical Center.
Throughout his career, Manning proved to be a class act raising money and awareness while spending time with patients and doctors at several hospitals and care centers on a regular basis. More than anything he ever did on the field, Eli’s greatest value came to families in need off of it.
