The Manning Family is NFL royalty. It started with Archie Manning, who had a storied career in the 1970s and 1980s. Two of his sons, Eli and Peyton, both went on to win Super Bowls and be game MVPs. Peyton made the NFL Hall of Fame in 2021 as a first ballot admission, but the debate over whether Eli should be inducted has resurfaced after he was snubbed for the second year in a row.
Eli Manning Shared His Feelings over Being Snubbed for the Pro Football Hall of Fame
Eli is, without a doubt, the most successful quarterback in New York Giants history. During his 16 seasons with the team, he had an even more successful postseason than his brother Peyton did with his two teams.
It is nearly impossible not to compare the two brothers. Peyton was 1-1 in his two Super Bowl appearances, while Eli won huge upsets, both of his against Tom Brady and the New England Patriots.
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On a recent episode of “Gruden Goes Long,” former NFL head coach Jon Gruden spoke with Eli and addressed the fact that he was once again snubbed. Gruden asked Eli how he felt about once again being passed over.
“For me, I think it’s one of those deals, it doesn’t keep me up at night. I’m not gonna be bitter at it. I’m not bitter at the game of football. I loved my teammates. I loved the relationships, the friendships, the championships, the parades,” explained Eli.
“When I think about football, I think about touchdowns, and my buddies, and wins, and plane rides home. I don’t think about the interceptions. I don’t think about the bad stuff. I think about the positive things. If I ever get in the Pro Football Hall of Fame, I’ll take it as a positive, and I’m not going to think about the years I had to wait to get in.”
For most Giants fans and Manning supporters, they feel that the two Super Bowls, two Super Bowl MVP awards, the Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year Award, four Pro Bowls, and the records he set should be enough.
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However, his detractors argue that Eli wasn’t great during the regular season, despite pulling off heroics in the postseason. Yet there are quarterbacks like Ken Stabler or Jim Kelly who made the Hall despite having less impressive resumes than Manning.
Manning remains eligible and will get another shot at Canton in 2027; however, time isn’t always on a player’s side. It seems as if out of sight might really be out of mind for the committee, as older players take a backseat to newer additions each year.
