Eli Manning came shortly after the Pro Football Hall of Fame induction on Thursday night, and in fact he was not very close.
Manning was not in the top 10 of voting for this year’s class containing only four players: Jared Allen, Eric Allen, Antonio Gates and Sterling Sharpe.
The New York Giants legend has been a polarizing figure for the Hall of Fame, even long before he retired. On the one hand, he was never an all-pro or got an MVP vote. On the other hand, he is responsible for two of the biggest Super Bowl drives over time, and he ranks 11 all the time in passing yards and touchdowns.
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Giants Quarterback Eli Manning warms up as New York Giants face Dallas Cowboys at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, Sunday 8 September 2013. (Ron Jenkins/Fort Worth Star-Telegram/Tribune News Service via Getty Images)
So when the committee met, Hall of Fame voter Gary Myers and another New York-based one chooses their case and Myers said the beats are hot.
“I’ve been to the committee for 15 years. Apart from the Terrell Owens conversation that we had for three years, this was the most disputed discussion that I have been a part of,” Myers said Friday at ESPN New Yorks. ” Dipietro and Rothenberg.
“I knew there was going to be some anti-eli mood … but I was really surprised by the amount of criticism and deteriorating his results that took place in that room.”
This criticism, Myers said, was apparently hypocrisy from the other voters.
“What they said that the Giants defense won these two Super Bowls, but Eli was responsible for having only one .500 record. Voters would have it both ways. They wouldn’t give Eli the honor of beating Patrioter bowl and having the two minutes of drives.
Eli Manning after being named MVP after the Super Bowl XLVI in Indianapolis, February 5, 2012. (IMagn)
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“My point was that you can’t wait for the Super Bowls, but put the blame on the record on him … until the trip I thought I was really wrong.”
Myers also pointed to the fact that Plaxico Burress, who caught the Super Bowl XLII-winning touchdown, shot himself in the leg the following season, while Big Blue threatened to back-to-back with an 11-1 start. They lost in the divisional round that year. He also tried to argue that the front office’s decisions later in Manning’s career were not at all beneficial to quarterback.
“His career would have looked much more different if he got more support from his teammates, and more importantly, his Front Office,” Myers said.
Myers said he compared Manning to Warren Moon and Dan Fouts, who went 102-101 and 86-84-1 respectively, the board was nevertheless introduced on the first vote.
“His numbers are superior, and threw in he won two Super Bowl MVPs … So what are we doing here?”
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It will be harder for Manning to get into next season. The new rules indicate that only five people can be selected per year. Drew Brees, Larry Fitzgerald, Jason Witten and other ex-stars are justified next year, all while Manning will have to beat finalists from this year, including Luke Keuchly and Adam Vinatieri.
