TMQ: The Case for Eli Manning

Sure he acts like a goofy little brother. He should be first-ballot Hall of Fame

The list of Hall of Fame nominees is out. This new list of 167 names will be winnowed down to five, which TMQ feels is too few – see more below.

Among the first-time nominees is Eli Manning. Over the years when yakking with football aficionados, talkradio and the ESPN royalty, I’ve noticed they tend to look down their noses at Peyton’s little brother. If I’ve countered that Eli will be first-ballot Hall of Fame, others scoffed.

Tuesday Morning Quarterback is here to tell you – Eli Manning will be a first-ballot Hall of Famer. He will be elected and next summer “enshrined,” the preposterous verb the league uses, donning the garish gold dinner jacket.

Manning directed seven winning seasons for the Jersey/A Giants. He threw 384 touchdown passes versus 253 interceptions, a fine ratio. He won two Super Bowls. Both times he defeated the GOAT, Tom Brady.

Your writer was in attendance at both Giants-Patriots Super Bowls. I’ve gone to way too many football games, and these were the best I was present for: arguably the best two games in the annals of the sport. Both well-played on both sides, both decided in the final seconds.

And at double-naughts of the two best games in football annals, both times Eli Manning had won.

Eli Manning on his draft day, when he was initially the property of the San Diego Chargers. Several times he winced as though going number-one in the NFL draft was unpleasant. Photo courtesy NFL.com.

Eli affects an awe-shucks demeanor, which is good for his endorsement income. Surely Peyton speaks first at Thanksgiving dinner. Eli plays the kid brother role on the ManningCast. He entered the league as little brother of an established star, and has accepted all that entails.

On the field Eli was tough as they come. Before launching the pass that became the Helmet Catch, setting in motion the Giants’ comeback victory over the Patriots in the year they would come within seconds of 19-0 perfection, Manning had to break two tackles, then release as he was being hit. That’s as tough as they come.