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Eli Manning retired in 2019 and missed his first year of Hall of Fame eligibility in 2025. He was ignored again earlier this year, but still fired back at a fan who claimed one of his contemporaries was the better quarterback.
On Tuesday, a social media user started a theory about former Atlanta Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan. Ryan, who now oversees football operations as team president, last played in an NFL game in 2022. He announced his retirement in 2024, making him eligible for the Hall of Fame starting in 2028.
“Matt Ryan was a better QB than Eli Manning…people love rings. Agree or not,” the post read.
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New York Giants quarterback Eli Manning greets Atlanta Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan after their game at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, Georgia on October 22, 2018. (Jason Getz/USA TODAY Sports)
Manning caught wind of the suggestion and gave his opinion, pointing out the two Super Bowl winning teams he was a part of during his remarkable run with the New York Giants.
“I’ll think about it while I play with my rings…” Manning wrote in a tweet.
Ryan’s statistical production surpasses Manning’s, at least on paper. He was named NFL MVP in 2016, an honor Manning never deserved. Ryan is also the most accomplished player in Falcons history and finished his career with over 62,000 passing yards in the regular season, compared to Manning’s 57,023.
NFC head coach Eli Manning leads a meeting during a workout before the NFL Pro Bowl at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, Nevada, February 4, 2023. (Michael Owens/Getty Images)
Both quarterbacks have been selected to four Pro Bowls, but the main difference is championships. Manning won the Super Bowl in 2007 and 2011, while Ryan reached it once but failed. Manning threw a career-high 4,933 in a single season during the run to his second Super Bowl title.
Ryan threw for 284 yards, two touchdowns and no interceptions to help the Falcons take a 25-point lead in the championship game – a game remembered for the New England Patriots mounting the greatest comeback in Super Bowl history.
Atlanta Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan passes the ball against the Buffalo Bills during the second half at Highmark Stadium in Orchard Park, NY on January 2, 2022. (Rich Barnes/USA TODAY Sports)
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The Falcons have reached the Super Bowl twice in franchise history, the first time in 1998, but the team is still chasing its elusive first championship.
The Giants marked their 100th season in 2024, winning four Super Bowls in the franchise’s century-long history.
