Manning wounded by Giants’ decision to send him to bench
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. — The Eli Manning era with the New York Giants may be coming to an end. And if it is, it is ending ugly. The Giants announced Tuesday that the two-time Super Bowl MVP was being benched for the first time in more than 13 years so they could evaluate the other quarterbacks on the roster over the final month of a lost-and-injury-filled season.
The decision to sit the 36-yearold Manning was totally unexpected, especially with five games left in the regular season.
It was clear the decision hurt and annoyed Manning, who has been the face of the Giants (2-9) since they made a bold draft-day trade with the-then San Diego Chargers in 2004 to swap first-round picks and get the No. 1 overall selection to the Meadowlands.
Manning expressed his unhappiness but once again he played the good soldier, voicing his support for veteran Geno Smith, who will start against Oakland on Sunday.
Manning’s emotional pain was all over his face. His eyes welled with tears talking to reporters. His chin quivered when asked about how much this hurt. His face got red the more he talked.
Coach Ben McAdoo gave Manning the option of starting to keep his streak of 210 consecutive starts alive, but he didn’t want any part of that.
“You start knowing you are going to come out of the game to keep a streak alive, maybe, that’s not what it is about,” Manning said.
“It’s not a preseason game where you are going to start to the half, the next week a quarter, a series, that’s not fair. That’s not fair to me, not fair to Geno, not how you play. You play to win. When you are named the starting quarterback you think it’s your job to go win the football game.
“If you are going to play a little bit, I didn’t think it was the right way to play,” said Manning, who became the Giants’ starting quarterback 10 games into his rookie season in 2004, which was about a month or so before Eagles quarterback Carson Wentz turned 12 years old.
SUSPENSIONS: Oakland receiver Michael Crabtree and Denver cornerback Aqib Talib have had their suspensions reduced to one game on appeal.
The NFL announced Tuesday that appeals officers Derrick Brooks and James Thrash cut down the two-game suspensions after hearings. Brooks heard Crabtree’s case, while Thrash heard Talib’s appeal.
RAVENS-STEELERS: The Baltimore Ravens-Pittsburgh Steelers matchup on Dec. 10 at Heinz Field will remain in prime time.
Despite speculation that the game could be “flexed” to the afternoon in favor of the matchup between the divisionleading Philadelphia Eagles and Los Angeles Rams, the NFL announced Tuesday that there would be no change with NBC’s scheduled “Sunday Night Football” matchup on Dec. 10.
49ERS: San Francisco will start Jimmy Garoppolo at quarterback this week.
The 49ers said coach Kyle Shanahan met with his quarterbacks Tuesday to tell them Garoppolo will make his first start for San Francisco (1-10) this weekend at Chicago (3-8).
The Niners acquired Garoppolo on Oct. 31 from New England for a 2018 second-round pick to be the franchise’s longterm quarterback.
After taking time to learn the new offense, Garoppolo made his San Francisco debut in Sunday’s 24-13 loss to Seattle after starter C.J. Beathard left with injuries to his hip and knee with just over a minute left.
MCFADDEN: Running back Darren McFadden has announced his retirement two days after his release by Dallas.
McFadden posted on Twitter on Tuesday that he made the decision “not with sadness or without further opportunity, but with a couple of days to reflect on how I feel and where I am at this stage in life.”