Giants legend Eli Manning addresses Hall of Fame debate

Even before it was confirmed in November that New York Giants legend Eli Manning had reached the semifinalist stage for modern-era players to be inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame next year, some of his former teammates campaigned for the two-time Super Bowl champion to be a first-ballot Hall of Famer.

Manning previously said he tries "not to think about" whether or not he'll ever receive a gold jacket. For a piece published on Friday, The Athletic's Dan Pompei wrote that the retired quarterback indicated his feelings regarding the subject haven't changed, with the 15 finalists for the 2025 class set to be announced on Dec. 28.

"Whether I get in or don’t get in, it’s not going to impact how much I’ve appreciated the game or what I’ve taken from the game or the friendships, the good times, the bad times," Manning recently explained. "I feel so grateful to have been with the New York Giants organization for 16 years." 

Manning's Hall of Fame candidacy became a hot-button topic late in his career. Since retiring following the 2019 season, it has generated numerous discussions and will be debated long after the 2025 class is announced during Super Bowl LIX week. While he was a .500 regular-season quarterback with a 117-117 career mark, he holds just about every significant career passing record in the history of a century-old franchise. 

Most importantly, as it pertains to those who insist Manning will be a first-ballot Hall of Famer, he was widely viewed as one of the best clutch-situation quarterbacks of his time and famously won two Super Bowl Most Valuable Player Awards during his career. Every other player with at least two Super Bowl MVPs on his resume is either already in the Hall of Fame or will one day be enshrined in Canton. 

It also helps that Manning's name is associated with two of the greatest plays in Super Bowl history. 

While speaking with Pompei, Manning humorously admitted that he "can see both sides of the case." In the end, he sounds just fine with the fact that his Giants legacy will forever be secure regardless of his Hall of Fame status. 

"All my goals were about team-oriented success," Manning told Pompei. "Trying to win championships — that was my goal."