Eli: Brady may have ‘tough’ transition

It will not be easy.

Eli Manning, later in his Giants tenure, had to come to grips with learning different offenses and acclimating to new head coaches. Based on this, he predicts there could be some tough moments ahead for Tom Brady leaving the Patriots after 20 years and landing in Tampa with the Buccaneers, especially with COVID-19 restrictions in place and teammates scattered around the country.

“I think it’s gonna be tough for him, just the fact he can’t be doing everything he wants to be doing with the team and getting ready,’’ Manning said Monday on SiriusXM NFL Radio. “Obviously they have some playmakers at receiver there, when you got talented receivers it makes it a little bit easier to get on the same page with ’em.

“It will be interesting how it all plays out and how quickly he can just adjust to a new organization and new players and new offense, all those new things, especially with the limited timing he’s gonna have being with them.’’

➤ Manning saw “a little bit of déjà vu’’ with the Packers taking quarterback Jordan Love in the first round of the NFL draft, even though Aaron Rodgers has three years remaining on his contract, likening it to the 2005 draft, when the Packers took Rodgers even though Brett Favre was still thriving.

“I’m sure Brett wasn’t real fond of that happening and I’m sure Aaron wasn’t real fond of it happening, especially after going 13-3 and playing good football,’’ Manning said. “There’s certain parts of this game, as you get older in age, you just have to accept some of the realities that teams are gonna start looking for the future, they have to start planning.’’

➤ Manning said his immediate postretirement plan is to “not jump into anything too seriously and not put too much on my plate too early’’ for a full year.

“I’ve never had a fall off, whether it’s fall golf or travel or see some Ole Miss football games or travel around with the Giants and see some of their games,’’ Manning said. “Be around the kids a little bit more on weekends and be involved in some of the fall sports, which I’ve kinda missed. Been blessed to be in this situation and try to take advantage of it for a year.’’

➤ For the second time during the COVID-19 pandemic, the Giants have deferred payments for season tickets. In a letter to their season ticket-holders, co-owners John Mara and Steve Tisch stated “considering the current landscape’’ no payment is required until July 1.