New York Giants great and Ring of Honoree, Phil Simms, who knows a few things about playing quarterback in New York, believes we are witnessing the final weeks of Eli Manning’s NFL career.
.@PhilSimmsQB on Eli Manning’s future in the NFL: I do not believe he will be back in the NFL next year. He has stated clearly that he does not want to be a backup, and is somebody going to go out there and get him as a bridge quarterback? I don't think they'll do that. pic.twitter.com/u3r9SyKlki
— NFLonCBS (@NFLonCBS) December 15, 2019
Simms makes a valid point. If Eli is insistent on being a starter, he may not find a suitor. As a bridge QB, we know those positions usually entail starting for a few games and then stepping aside for the prized rookie.
In Manning’s case, he would have to go to a contender who is ready to win now and lost their quarterback to injury for him to start again. Then again, how long will that be for? One year? He’d rather sit home, count his money, revel in his achievements and thank the good Lord he got out the NFL without serious injury than uproot his family for one year just to prove a point. A point, by the way, he does not need to prove.
Manning wouldn’t be doing it for the money. He’s got plenty of that.
Manning has made the most money of any player in NFL history ($252,280,004), edging out brother Peyton ($248,732,000), Drew Brees ($244,710,422), Tom Brady ($235,166,804) and Ben Roethlisberger ($232,286,864).
I think Simms is right. The options for Eli aren’t good ones and will not allow him to leave the game under his own terms. Peyton won a Super Bowl and rode into the sunset. Brady and Brees are hoping to so the same.
Big Ben doesn’t want to end his career on an injured season. He’ll also be back to give it one more shot. Pittsburgh is in a much better place than the Giants are at the moment, so that makes sense.
Eli is no longer the Giants’ starter and it would take a special set of circumstances for a team to hire him as their starter at this stage of the game. He should retire and go out with his dignity intact.
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