Every year, there is a debate about which players should enter the Pro Football Hall of Fame. However, this year, there has been an even bigger debate because Eli Manning is a eligible for the first time. Manning won two Super Bowls as a member of the New York Giants but was never named an All-Pro.
Eli Manning Is Named One of 15 Finalists for the 2025 Hall of Fame Class
Manning was in the news on Saturday when the 15 finalists for the 2025 Pro Football Hall of Fame class were announced, including the Ole Miss alum.
Although no rule says how many players may be inducted every year, the selection committee typically inducts between four and eight players each year. There were seven players inducted in 2024. It is even more prestigious to be inducted in your first year of eligibility.
Eli Manning was at no point ever even the best quarterback in his own division.
The idea that he is a HOFer, a first-ballot one at that, is hilarious. https://t.co/ruJGdXRgHU
— RJ Ochoa (@rjochoa) December 29, 2024
Manning’s nomination was not met with universal approval. Analyst RJ Ochoa went on Twitter to voice his disapproval of the nomination. He said: “Eli Manning was at no point ever even the best quarterback in his own division. The idea that he is a HOFer, a first-ballot one at that, is hilarious.”
This came in response to another analyst, Newy Scruggs, posting about why Manning should not be a first-ballot Hall of Famer. He wrote, “Eli Manning led the NFL in interceptions three times. He was never All-Pro. He was never an MVP. Had a .500 record as a starting Quarterback (117-117). That is not a first-ballot HOF resume.”
These analysts’ issue with Manning as a Hall of Fame candidate is that they believe the selection committee values Super Bowls too much, especially with quarterbacks. Manning won two Super Bowls with the New York Giants in 2007 and 2011. Most famously, he helped his Giants defeat the undefeated New England Patriots in 2007.
He did this while never being named to an All-Pro team. His only NFL accolades outside of the Super Bowls were being named to the Pro Bowl on four occasions. He was a very good quarterback, but many fans, analysts, and media personalities believe he was not great enough to earn a Hall of Fame nomination, especially on the first ballot.
However, ESPN’s Sal Paolantonio, who is also a Hall of Fame voter, explained why Manning would be in consideration as a first-ballot HOFer.
“I will be supporting his candidacy to go in the Hall of Fame as a first-ballot Hall of Famer in 2025,” Paolantonio said. “He’s got two Super Bowl MVPs and the list of retired quarterbacks with two Super Bowl MVPs is very short: They are Bart Starr, Joe Montana, Terry Bradshaw, Tom Brady and … Eli Manning. That’s the list.
“And three of them [Starr, Montana and Bradshaw] are in. We know Brady’s going in. Eli’s got to go in. And all three were first-ballot Hall of Famers. Eli should be a first-ballot Hall of Famer.”
However, it is worth noting that Manning is not in the Hall of Fame yet. He is one of 15 finalists, but the Class of 2025 will not be announced until Feb. 6.