Cheers for Eli, boos for Mara
For Eli Manning’s last incredible magic trick, he turned boos into cheers.
Giants fans disgusted with an ugly first half stayed in their seats Sunday to cheer for memories of the good times gone by as Manning was inducted into the Ring of Honor at MetLife Stadium and his No. 10 jersey officially was retired. Shaun O’Hara — the former Giants center and Manning’s close friend — and coowner John Mara introduced Manning, who spoke for about 80 seconds during the halftime crunch.
“Being a part of the New York Giants organization has been one of the great joys of my life,” Manning told the crowd.
Wearing a sharp navy blue blazer, Manning was ceremoniously led onto the field by the offensive linemen who protected him in the prime of his career and greeted on the dais by his parents, Olivia and Archie, his wife, Abby, and Giants co-owners Steve Tisch and Mara.
Two blue carpets 10-yards long with the white No. 10 were laid out at midfield. The No. 10 was by far the most popular jersey in the stands — as it still is for most Giants home games.
O’Hara cited a quote applicable to Manning: “No man was ever honored for what he received. Honor was the reward for what he gave.”
Repeating a line from his retirement ceremony in January 2020, Manning put his spin on a famous quote from the late longtime owner of the Giants who still was at helm when the era of a new franchise quarterback was ushered in at the 2004 draft: “Wellington Mara said, ‘Once a Giant, always a Giant.’ I’m glad I’m only a Giant.”
Manning famously threw two impossible passes on Super Bowl-winning touchdown drives: The “Helmet Catch” to David Tyree in Super Bowl XLII and the sideline catch by Mario Manningham in Super Bowl XLVI.
Both plays were re-enacted during the halftime ceremony, to the delight of fans who had just booed the Giants as they took a knee on the final play of the first half facing a 7-6 deficit despite outplaying the lowly Falcons. Those same fans even lightly booed during the ceremony — when Mara stepped to the microphone.
“Eli, for 16 seasons, you set the standard of what a Giants player should be both on and off the field,” Mara said over the buzz. “As a two-time Super Bowl champion, NFL Man of the Year and a future Hall of Famer who represented this team with pride, with dignity and with class, we now welcome you into our Ring of Honor and tell you that no Giant will ever wear No. 10 again.”
A covering was removed showing Manning’s place immortalized in the south corner of the stadium next to former teammate Justin Tuck. Manning received a sport jacket that goes to all of Ring of Honor members.
Manning said he is “indebted” to so many coaches and teammates and told fans he “will miss running through that tunnel and hearing your cheers.” But he saved his most poignant words for his family, a reminder that the second half of his career overlapped with the Giants’ current decade-long run without a playoff win.
“This day would not be possible without the love and support of my family,” Manning said. “It was easy for everyone to celebrate the wins, but you were the ones that were with me all the time, had my back and picked me up when I was down.”
Tom Coughlin, who coached Manning for the first 12 of his 16 seasons, and Michael Strahan, the Hall of Fame defensive end whose No. 92 will be retired later this season, spoke via recorded message on the video board.
“You literally put your team on your shoulders,” Coughlin said, recalling Super Bowl XLII. “You, my good man, are a New York Giants legend.”