Even before handing the microphone over to Eli Manning during his retirement press conference on Friday, New York Giants co-owner John Mara let it be known that not only will Eli be inducted into the team’s Ring of Honor, but that his No. 10 will also be retired.
“We would be honored to induct Eli into the Giants Ring of Honor,” Mara said as his voice cracked. “No Giant will ever wear number 10 again.”
Asked after the ceremony why he decided to retire Manning’s number so quickly, Mara relished just how easy a decision it was.
“I wish all my decisions were that easy, to tell you the truth,” Mara said, via the New York Post.
Almost immediately, Mara also acknowledged that Michael Strahan’s No. 92 jersey would also be retired in the near future and that an official announcement was coming.
“It’s retired,” Mara said of No. 92, adding that it’s “not official” just yet. “We’ll do Michael’s announcement another day, but Eli’s will be retired.”
A second-round pick of the Giants in the 1993 NFL Draft, Strahan spent his entire 15-year career with Big Blue, going to seven Pro Bowls, being named an All-Pro six times and winning the NFL Defensive Player of the Year Award in 2001.
Strahan still holds the NFL record for sacks in a single season (22.5), has been inducted into the Giants’ Ring of Honor and was enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2014.
