MANNING’S LAST
Eli Manning likely making his final NY Giants appearance
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. (AP) » The man who has been the face of the New York Giants since 2004 is probably going to make his final appearance for them this weekend.
Eli Manning’s 16-year career with New York, in which he helped restore the Giants as a title force in the NFL and led them to two Super Bowl victories, likely will come to an end Sunday. The Giants will try to spoil the Philadelphia Eagles’ bid to win the NFC East.
If it is the end, Manning will leave with almost every Giants passing record; two NFL championships; two Super Bowl MVPs; a streak of 210 consecutive starts between 2004-17; a Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year Award; and the respect of his teammates.
No doubt the last eight years have been tough. New York has made the playoffs once since winning the championship for the 2011 season, and that’s taken a toll on his tenure and his prospects for selection to the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
That’s just the stuff on the surface. To his teammates,
friends and coaches, Manning will always be the player’s player, a classy, giving guy, a family man and a football intellect who wanted nothing more than to help his teammates win games.
What’s little known is Manning the prankster, the quiet imp who found a way to get his teammates to laugh.
The pranks are legendary. The No. 1 overall draft pick in 2004 — by San Diego before a quick trade to the Giants — would borrow a teammate’s cell phone and change the language. He would put a dye in the socks of his offensive linemen that would turn their toes blue for weeks.
Former center Shaun O’Hara made the mistake of getting into a disagreement with his quarterback and found his car coated with petroleum jelly and baby powder. Try to get that off.
Make no mistake, Manning isn’t going out the way he would like. First-round pick Daniel Jones will be the starting quarterback Sunday in a game that may decide the division title.
Manning will be standing on the sideline watching, like he has most of the season. He lost his starting role after the second game, although he did write a heart-warming final chapter at home in leading the Giants to a 36-20 win over the Miami Dolphins two weeks ago.
Though disappointed, Manning never hesitated to help Jones, the No. 6 overall choice in the draft.
“To have a guy like that to work with every day and to learn football, learn how the NFL works, has been … I’ve been fortunate to be in that position,” Jones said. “He’s a fun guy to hang out with, he’s a fun guy to come to work with; you learn a lot just hanging around him. I’ve been lucky to be around him.’’
Veteran receiver Golden Tate III has been amazed by how Manning went out of his way to help the 22-year-old who took away his job.
“With everything that has gone on with him and D.J. he stayed consistent to who he is, still the witty, funny guy, jokester,’’ Tate said. “He has remained upbeat and we all noticed that and appreciated it. I can’t say I would’ve handled the situation the way he did, with the New York media and being that guy for so long until all the sudden it’s not.’’