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Two-time Super Bowl-winning New York Giants quarterback Eli Manning reportedly fell short of the votes needed to return to the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
Manning, who was in his second year among the 15 finalists in the modern era, was not selected, according to The Athletic.
While it’s not the biggest Hall of Fame story of the week — Bill Belichick’s failure to be inducted in the first round set the football world ablaze — Manning has been a hot topic in Canton since he became eligible.
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Eli Manning of the New York Giants poses with John Mara during a press conference announcing the quarterback’s retirement on January 24, 2020 at the Quest Diagnostic Training Center in East Rutherford, New Jersey. (Elsa/Getty Images)
Many believe Manning will one day enter the Hall of Fame, but there is another argument that he shouldn’t.
The former’s argument is that Manning, the younger brother of Hall of Famer Peyton Manning, ranks 11th all-time in passing yards and passing touchdowns. And his two Super Bowls were against the New England Patriots, beating Belichick and Tom Brady to ruin their perfect 2007 season and 2011 campaign.
ELI MANNING DISHES ON THE STATE OF THE GIANTS AFTER JOHN HARBAUGH’S “INCREDIBLE” RENTAL
But Manning finished his career with a 117-117 overall record with the Giants, eventually replaced by Daniel Jones, who the team drafted to become the franchise’s next great quarterback. The smallest part of the argument against Manning is that while he has all those passing touchdowns and yards, he led the league in interceptions three times.
Looking at both sides, the pros seem to outweigh the cons, especially since he is only one of six players in NFL history to win multiple Super Bowl MVP awards. Other notables include Brady and Kansas City Chiefs star Patrick Mahomes, both of whom are already considered first-ballot Hall of Famers.
The other three are football kings: Joe Montana, Bart Starr and Terry Bradshaw.
A former player, coach or executive must obtain at least 80% of the votes to enter. From a panel of 50, consisting of one media member from each pro football city, a 33rd member of the Pro Football Writers of America and up to 17 at-large delegates, monitor who goes to Canton and who stays out of the hallowed halls.
Eli Manning after being named MVP of Super Bowl XLVI in Indianapolis on February 5, 2012. (IMAGINE)
The full class of 2026 will be officially announced on February 5, 2026 during the NFL Honors special, which will be televised from San Francisco.
A modern era player like Manning is eligible for the Hall of Fame ballot beginning in his fifth year of retirement and continuing until his 25th year.
Manning continues to be involved in the game today, most notably with his Giants. He has been a much-loved voice of the franchise even though he doesn’t hold any major titles. With the team’s new regime led by John Harbaugh, it remains to be seen what type of impact Manning could have going forward.
“It couldn’t have gone better,” Manning told PK Press Club Digital in a recent interview regarding Harbaugh’s hiring. “I knew the Giants, you were like, ‘Hey, you need someone with head coaching experience and a guy who’s been in that situation, who’s going to know how to deal with the New York media, who’s going to kind of take over as CEO of not only the team, but the whole organization and the whole building around the Giants. The problem is that person probably doesn’t exist. He’s not out there.’
Former NFL player Eli Manning speaks during halftime during an NFL football game between the Cincinnati Bengals and the New York Giants at MetLife Stadium on October 13, 2024 in East Rutherford, New Jersey. (Perry Knotts/Getty Images)
“And then all of a sudden there’s John Harbaugh sitting there. It’s just incredible, a person who’s had a lot of success in the NFL. It just couldn’t be a better fit. I’m so excited for him, I’ve had long conversations with him about this, and I think he’s going to do an incredible job and he’s excited about getting the Giants back on track.”
While Manning hopes his old team gets back on track, he will have to wait at least a year before he hears his name called at the NFL Honors, indicating he can join his brother and the rest of the great Football Hall of Fame.
