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Eli Manning will be a first-ballot Hall of Fame inductee

By Zac Wassink

Jun 16, 2015; East Rutherford, NJ, USA; New York Giants quarterback Eli Manning (10) makes a pass during minicamp at Quest Diagnostics Training Center. Mandatory Credit: Steven Ryan-USA TODAY Sports
Jun 16, 2015; East Rutherford, NJ, USA; New York Giants quarterback Eli Manning (10) makes a pass during minicamp at Quest Diagnostics Training Center. Mandatory Credit: Steven Ryan-USA TODAY Sports /
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New York Giants quarterback Eli Manning is the most under-appreciated National Football League player of his time. Maybe the most under-appreciated man in the history of the NFL.

The younger Manning brother of NFL fame has admittedly never been the top quarterback in the NFL. His stats don’t live up to the numbers posted by more-liked and more-famous Peyton Manning, the greatest regular season QB in the history of the league. And history is not as physically impressive as Aaron Rodgers, who can make plays with his arm and his legs. History will, because of the Internet and social media, remember Manning as much for his “Eli faces” as it will for his accomplishments and performances on football fields.

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Manning found himself in headlines earlier this month when it was reported that he desired to be the highest-paid player in the NFL following the 2015 regular season and the expiration of his current contract. The validity of this story has been questioned by the man himself, as Manning vehemently denied the claim while speaking to reporters following a practice session. His supposed contract demands aside, the saga shined a spotlight on just how much Manning is disrespected by casual NFL fans, sports commentators and football insiders.

The hot takes put out there on how much money he does or does not deserve are ridiculous, if only because NFL contracts are not based solely on ability. They are structured by what a player has meant to his team over time, the contracts awarded to others at the same position, and what clubs would be willing to offer that man were he to enter free agency. Manning would certainly be worth up to $25 million next year to a quarterback-starved team such as the Cleveland Browns or, dare I say, the New York Jets.

Discussions on Eli’s future brought with them conversations about his place in history, in part because Manning will turn 35-years old next January. Some who, thankfully, will not have votes on the matter would claim that Manning, about to begin the twilight of his career, does not yet have a spot reserved for himself in Canton. This opinion not only shows the true lack of appreciation toward Manning that has swirled through the football world for well over a decade, but fails to comprehend that Manning should be a first-ballot Hall of Fame inductee. Easily.

Manning’s Hall of Fame resume should, on paper, speak for itself, and maybe it would if Eli was not the younger brother of such a popular and historic figure. Maybe fans and analysts would better recognize his greatness had he never refused to play for the San Diego Chargers leading up to the 2004 NFL Draft. Perhaps we would not be having such discussions about Manning if he displayed blank expressions after tossing costly interceptions.

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Manning is, for starters, the greatest quarterback in the history of the Giants. That is not merely a throwaway comment used to describe a man who has been a loyal soldier for his team throughout at least 12 NFL regular seasons. It is not as if Manning is the best QB to ever wear the colors of the Jacksonville Jaguars or Carolina Panthers, two sides that are, in the grand schemes of things, toddlers when compared with franchises such as the Giants.

The Giants have been in existence for over 90 years. Legends of the game such as Lawrence Taylor and the late Frank Gifford have proudly worn the colors and badges of the club. Manning deserves to be mentioned right alongside those greats and ahead of the likes of Y.A. Tittle, Phil Simms, Charlie Conerly and others who have been honored by having their numbers retired by the Giants. All things being equal, Manning falls behind only L.T. and Gifford on a list of all-time great Giants players.

Manning’s durability — he has not missed a start since taking over for Kurt Warner during his rookie campaign — suggests that he will have at least a few more seasons left in the tank following the 2015. He will thus easily pass for over 50,000 career yards, a mark that has served as an imaginary must for quarterbacks being elected into the Hall of Fame. Even if he were to not reach that number, Manning is already the most-prolific passer the Giants have ever had under center.

Career passing yards. Touchdowns. Longest pass in team history. Manning holds all of those Giants records. The only one missing from the list is total wins, and Manning will check that one off once he earns five more victories later this fall.

Still not convinced Manning is a first-ballot Hall of Fame quarterback? Alrighty. He was, following Super Bowl XLVI, the fifth man in history to be named Super Bowl Most Valuable Player on multiple occasions. The other individuals to hold that honor include Tom Brady, Joe Montana, Bart Starr and Terry Bradshaw. All but Brady, who will have his own wing in Canton soon after he calls time on his playing days, were surefire Hall of Fame candidates.

Manning should not, as some have suggested, need to win one last Super Bowl to convince anybody that he belongs in the Hall of Fame. He shouldn’t even have to play another down of meaningful football to get to that point. You don’t know what you’ve got until it’s gone, and maybe that will be the case with Eli Manning. Perhaps only after he has thrown his final NFL pass will the majority of fans and observers recognize him for what he should be: a first ballot Hall of Fame player.

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