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Eli Manning, the two-time Super Bowl-winning quarterback of the New York Giants, has reportedly fallen short of the votes needed to re-enter the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
Manning, who was in his second year as one of the 15 finalists in the modern era, did not make the cut, according to The Athletic.
While not the biggest Hall of Fame story of the week — Bill Belichick, who was not a first-time inductee, set the football world on fire — Manning has been a hot-button Canton topic since becoming 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 Jan. 24, 2020, at the Quest Diagnostic Training Center in East Rutherford, New Jersey. (Elsa/Getty Images)
Many believe that Manning will make it as a Hall of Famer one day, but there is another side to the argument that he shouldn’t.
Arguing the former, Manning, the younger brother of Hall of Famer Peyton Manning, ranks No. 11 all-time in passing yards and passing touchdowns. And his two Super Bowls were against the New England Patriots, taking down Belichick and Tom Brady to spoil their perfect 2007 season and 2011 campaign.
ELI MANNING DISHES ON STATE OF THE GIANTS AFTER ‘UNBELIEVABLE’ JOHN HARBAUGH HIRE
But Manning finished his career with an even 117-117 overall record with the Giants and was eventually replaced by Daniel Jones, whom the team drafted to be the next great franchise quarterback. The lesser part of the argument against Manning is that while he has all the passing touchdowns and yards, he led the league in interceptions three separate times.
Looking at both sides, the pros seem to outweigh the cons, especially considering he’s one of only six players in NFL history to earn multiple Super Bowl MVP awards. Some of the notable others 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 royalty – Joe Montana, Bart Starr and Terry Bradshaw.
A former player, coach or manager must receive at least 80% of the vote to enter. From a 50-person panel consisting of a media member from each pro football city, a 33rd member from the Pro Football Writers of America and up to 17 delegates at large, control who goes to Canton and who remains outside the hallowed halls.
Eli Manning after being named MVP after Super Bowl XLVI in Indianapolis, Feb. 5, 2012. (IMAGIN)
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 player like Manning is eligible for the Hall of Fame ballot from their fifth year of retirement until their 25th year.
Manning remains involved in the game today, especially with his Giants. He has been a highly valued voice for the franchise despite not holding any major titles. With the team’s new regime led by John Harbaugh, it remains to be seen what type of impact Manning could make going forward.
“It couldn’t have worked out any better,” Manning told Pakinomist Digital in a recent interview about Harbaugh’s hiring. “I knew the Giants, you’re like, ‘Hey, you need somebody with experience as a head coach and a guy who’s been in this situation, who’s going to know how to handle the media in New York, who’s going to kind of take over as the CEO of not just the team, but the whole organization and the whole building around the Giants. The problem is, that person probably doesn’t exist out there. Him.”
Former NFL player Eli Manning speaks at 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, NJ. (Perry Knotts/Getty Images)
“And then, all of a sudden, there’s John Harbaugh sitting there. It’s just unbelievable, somebody 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 some long conversations with him about this, and I think he’s going to do an incredible job and excited to get the Giants back on track.”
As Manning hopes to get his former team back on track, he will have to wait at least another year before possibly hearing his name called on the NFL Honors, indicating he could join his brother and the rest of the great football Hall of Famers.
