There are few figure in New York Giants history more beloved than Eli Manning. With two Super Bowls, a litany of franchise records, and the status of childhood hero for a generation of Giants fans, his winning ways at a quarterback here set a standard.
So when the news broke this offseason that the Giants legend was is interested in buying an ownership stake in the franchise, the next development in John Mara and Steve Tisch looking to sell a 10-percent ownership stake in the organization?
The idea was a fan favorite.
“Former New York Giants quarterback Eli Manning is putting together an investment group to bid for a piece of the National Football League team, according to people with knowledge of the matter,” Bloomberg reported. “… Manning, who led the team to its last Super Bowl victory in 2012, has spoken to individual investors including retired NFL players, said the people, who asked not to be identified discussing confidential information.”
Earlier in the offseason, Manning expressed his desire to buy into an NFL franchise, although he was only willing to do the deal with the Giants.
“It’s definitely something of interest,” said Manning, via CNBC Sport. “There’s probably only one team I’d be interested in pursuing, and it’s the one I played for for 16 years, and it’s local, and makes the most sense, but we just got to figure out if they would ever sell a little bit.”
Giants fans unsurprisingly reacted well to the news, cherishing the possibility of one of their own being welcomed back into the fold.
But now an update: Manning has given the idea a thumbs-down.
"Basically, it's too expensive for me," Manning said in an interview with CNBC Sport. "These numbers are getting very big. ... A one-percent stake of something valued at $10 billion— it turns into a very big number."
It has been noted that Manning accumulated more than $250 million in career earnings over his 16 years with the Giants ... and that doesn't include the out-of-football wealth he's gained as a celebrity.
So, he will remain just that - a celebrity - as the The Mara family and the Tisch family carry on.