Surprise salute hardly a shock to wily Manning

You can’t fool Eli Manning after 16 years.

Giants coach Pat Shurmur tried to orchestrate an impromptu surprise curtain call for Manning, telling backup quarterback Alex Tanney to get loose on the sideline Sunday with five minutes remaining in a blowout win.

Tanney replaced Manning one play into the Giants’ final possession, and the crowd responded to the drama by chanting their two-time Super Bowl MVP’s name during a standing ovation.

“They told me to try and keep it hush, but I had to get a couple snaps in, so I don’t know if he saw me or not,” Tanney told The Post. “It was a pretty cool moment to be a part of. I’ll never forget it.”

As the first one to greet Manning before he headed off the field — probably for the final time with the Giants and maybe in his career — what did Tanney say? How did an uncharacteristically emotional Manning respond?

“I said, ‘ You are a Hall of Famer and I love you,’ ” Tanney said. “I think he was soaking it in. To be honest, I was, too. The game just kind of paused and time stopped.”

Shurmur hugged Manning, who, after all the wins, interviews and commercials, felt uncomfortable as the center of attention.

“I just felt like it was the right thing to do,” Shurmur said. “Believe it or not, we as coaches go by our gut and we react to things.”

Manning admitted he was close to tears on the sideline. But surprised?

“I kind of heard them talking a little bit,” he said. “I saw some of the coaches kind of gathering up and discussing something. It’s not my first rodeo, so I had a feeling that something might be happening.” rdunleavy@nypost.com