Eli Manning, New York Giants
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Eli Manning is seen on the sidelines prior to the game between the Tulane Green Wave and the Ole Miss Rebels during the 2025 College Football Playoff First Round Game at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium.
For the second year in a row, legendary New York Giants quarterback Eli Manning was not selected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
In his second year of eligibility, Manning was passed over in favor of New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees, Arizona Cardinals wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald, Carolina Panthers linebacker Luke Kuechly, and New England Patriots/Indianapolis Colts kicker Adam Vinatieri.
All the aforementioned players are absolutely deserving of their spot in the Hall of Fame, but Manning’s two Super Bowl MVPs and long-standing statistics definitely deserve consideration as well.
Regardless, Manning isn’t losing sleep over it, and said as much in an interview talking about his second consecutive year being left off the ballot.
Eli Manning Downplays Hall of Fame Snubbing
In an interview with former NFL head coach Jon Gruden on his podcast, Gruden Goes Long, the former New York Giants quarterback was humble and gave little weight to another year of missing out on the Hall of Fame.
“It doesn’t keep me up at night. I’m not going to 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. When I think about football, I think about touchdowns, and my buddies, and wins, and plane rides home,” Manning told Gruden.
“I don’t think about the interceptions. I don’t think about the bad stuff. 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.”
You can always expect nothing but class from Manning, and that was certainly the case in his interview with Gruden.
Unfortunately, Manning may have to wait even further for his shot at the most prestigious club in the sport.
The potential Hall of Famers set to become eligible in 2027 are just as stacked as they were this year, with New England Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski, Minnesota Vikings running back Adrian Peterson, Seattle Seahawks cornerback Richard Sherman, and Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger to be under consideration.
Why Eli Manning Deserves to Be in the Hall of Fame
When it comes to the Pro Football Hall of Fame, the question is usually asked: Can you tell the story of the NFL without mentioning this player?
And when it comes to arguably the greatest quarterback the New York Giants have ever had, you can’t tell the story of the NFL without Eli Manning.
His two Super Bowl championships are some of the most impressive in the modern era, beating the Tom Brady-Bill Belichick New England Patriots twice in four years, including the undefeated Patriots in 2007. His 2011 run was the stuff of legend as well.
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Manning is also one of the all-time leaders in the major passing categories, throwing for 57,023 passing yards and 366 touchdowns throughout his 16-year career. Both are best for the 11th all-time.
Eli’s all-time consecutive starts streak is also one of the best in league history, starting 222 consecutive games, third-highest all time behind Philip Rivers and Brett Favre.
All this to say, Manning is one of the greatest quarterbacks in the modern-era, and despite the list of names set to join him in eligibility in the near future, he deserves as much consideration as anyone else.