Elisha Nelson Manning (born January 3, 1981) is an American former professional
football
Football is a family of team sports that involve, to varying degrees, kick (football), kicking a football (ball), ball to score a goal (sports), goal. Unqualified, football (word), the word ''football'' generally means the form of football t ...
quarterback
The quarterback (QB) is a position in gridiron football who are members of the offensive side of the ball and mostly line up directly behind the Lineman (football), offensive line. In modern American football, the quarterback is usually consider ...
who played in the
National Football League
The National Football League (NFL) is a Professional gridiron football, professional American football league in the United States. Composed of 32 teams, it is divided equally between the American Football Conference (AFC) and the National ...
(NFL) for 16 seasons with the
New York Giants
The New York Giants are a professional American football team based in the New York metropolitan area. The Giants compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC East, East division. The ...
. A member of the
Manning family, he is the youngest son of
Archie and younger brother of
Peyton. Manning played
college football
College football is gridiron football that is played by teams of amateur Student athlete, student-athletes at universities and colleges. It was through collegiate competition that gridiron football American football in the United States, firs ...
for the
Ole Miss Rebels
The Ole Miss Rebels are the 18 men's and women's College sports in the United States, intercollegiate athletic teams that are funded by and represent the University of Mississippi, located in Oxford, Mississippi, Oxford. The first was the Ole ...
, winning the
Maxwell
Maxwell may refer to:
People
* Maxwell (surname), including a list of people and fictional characters with the name
** James Clerk Maxwell, mathematician and physicist
* Justice Maxwell (disambiguation)
* Maxwell baronets, in the Baronetage of N ...
and
Johnny Unitas Golden Arm awards as a senior. He was selected
first overall in the
2004 NFL draft by the
San Diego Chargers
The San Diego Chargers were a professional American football team in the National Football League (NFL). The Chargers played in San Diego, California from 1961 until 2016, before relocating back to the Greater Los Angeles area, where the franch ...
and traded to the Giants during the draft.
Manning's greatest professional success was twice leading the Giants to underdog
Super Bowl
The Super Bowl is the annual History of the NFL championship, league championship game of the National Football League (NFL) of the United States. It has served as the final game of every NFL season since 1966 NFL season, 1966 (with the excep ...
victories against the
New England Patriots dynasty in
Super Bowl XLII and
Super Bowl XLVI. The former, which saw the
wild card Giants defeat a Patriots team that was the first to win all 16 regular season games, is regarded as one of the greatest sports upsets of all time. Manning was named
Super Bowl MVP in both championships, making him one of six players to receive the award multiple times.
As the Giants starting quarterback from 2004 to 2019, Manning holds the franchise records for passing yards, passing
touchdown
A touchdown (abbreviated as TD) is a scoring play in gridiron football. Scoring a touchdown grants the team that scored it 6 points. Whether running, passing, returning a kickoff or punt, or recovering a turnover, a team scores a touchd ...
s, and completions.
Never missing a game due to injury, he started 210 consecutive games from 2004 to 2017, the third-longest
consecutive starts streak by an NFL quarterback. Manning ranks 11th all-time in passing yards and 10th in touchdowns.
Early life
Manning was born in
New Orleans
New Orleans (commonly known as NOLA or The Big Easy among other nicknames) is a Consolidated city-county, consolidated city-parish located along the Mississippi River in the U.S. state of Louisiana. With a population of 383,997 at the 2020 ...
, the youngest of three boys to Olivia (née Williams) and NFL quarterback
Elisha Archibald "Archie" Manning III, both natives of
Mississippi
Mississippi ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern and Deep South regions of the United States. It borders Tennessee to the north, Alabama to the east, the Gulf of Mexico to the south, Louisiana to the s ...
. His older brothers,
Cooper and
Peyton, both played football growing up.
Manning attended high school at the
Isidore Newman School in New Orleans, where he played
football
Football is a family of team sports that involve, to varying degrees, kick (football), kicking a football (ball), ball to score a goal (sports), goal. Unqualified, football (word), the word ''football'' generally means the form of football t ...
and basketball for the Greenies. In his high school career, Manning passed for a school-record 7,389 yards and 89 touchdowns.
Eli's passing mark was later broken by his nephew
Arch
An arch is a curved vertical structure spanning an open space underneath it. Arches may support the load above them, or they may perform a purely decorative role. As a decorative element, the arch dates back to the 4th millennium BC, but stru ...
in 2022. He committed to play college football at the
University of Mississippi
The University of Mississippi (Epithet, byname Ole Miss) is a Public university, public research university in University, near Oxford, Mississippi, United States, with a University of Mississippi Medical Center, medical center in Jackson, Miss ...
.
College career

Manning entered college in the shadow of his brother Peyton, quarterback of the Indianapolis Colts, and his father, who was considered a legend and folk hero at Ole Miss.
During his years with the
Rebels, Manning set or tied numerous single-game,
season
A season is a division of the year based on changes in weather, ecology, and the number of daylight hours in a given region. On Earth, seasons are the result of the axial parallelism of Earth's axial tilt, tilted orbit around the Sun. In temperat ...
and
career records. His career numbers include 10,119 passing yards (fifth on the
SEC career list), 81 touchdown passes (third on the SEC career list), and a passer rating of 137.7 (tied for sixth on the SEC career list).
2000 season
As a redshirt freshman, Manning competed with veteran
Romaro Miller for the starting quarterback position and saw little playing time. He appeared in six games and passed for 170 total yards and one interception in the Rebels 7–5 season.
2001 season
With the departure of Miller, Manning became the Rebels' starting quarterback as a sophomore. In the first game, against
Murray State, he converted 20-of-23 pass attempts for 271 yards and five passing touchdowns in the 49–14 victory. In the following game, a 27–21 loss to
Auburn, he had 265 passing yards, one passing touchdown and one interception.
Over the next few games, Manning helped lead the Rebels to victories over
Kentucky
Kentucky (, ), officially the Commonwealth of Kentucky, is a landlocked U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern region of the United States. It borders Illinois, Indiana, and Ohio to the north, West Virginia to the ...
,
Alabama
Alabama ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern and Deep South, Deep Southern regions of the United States. It borders Tennessee to the north, Georgia (U.S. state), Georgia to the east, Florida and the Gu ...
and
LSU
Louisiana State University and Agricultural and Mechanical College, commonly referred to as Louisiana State University (LSU), is an American Public university, public Land-grant university, land-grant research university in Baton Rouge, Louis ...
. On November 3, in a
58–56 7OT loss to
Arkansas
Arkansas ( ) is a landlocked state in the West South Central region of the Southern United States. It borders Missouri to the north, Tennessee and Mississippi to the east, Louisiana to the south, Texas to the southwest, and Oklahoma ...
, Manning passed for 312 passing yards and six passing touchdowns. The game marked the longest game in major college football history at the time. Overall, Manning had a solid first year as the Rebels' starting quarterback with 2,948 passing yards, 31 touchdowns, and nine interceptions, as the Rebels finished with a 7–4 record.
2002 season
Manning's junior season started out promising with a 31–3 victory over
Louisiana-Monroe and a 38–16 victory over
Memphis. Manning had four passing touchdowns and one interception combined in those two games. In the next game, a 42–28 loss to
Texas Tech, Manning passed for 374 yards, three touchdowns and one interception. The Rebels won their next three games, which were over
Vanderbilt, #6
Florida
Florida ( ; ) is a U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern region of the United States. It borders the Gulf of Mexico to the west, Alabama to the northwest, Georgia (U.S. state), Georgia to the north, the Atlantic ...
and
Arkansas State to earn Ole Miss a #21 ranking in the
AP Poll. Manning had five touchdowns and one interception in that stretch. The Rebels' fortunes turned in the latter half of the season with a five-game losing streak.
In the stretch was a 48–28 loss to
Arkansas
Arkansas ( ) is a landlocked state in the West South Central region of the Southern United States. It borders Missouri to the north, Tennessee and Mississippi to the east, Louisiana to the south, Texas to the southwest, and Oklahoma ...
, in which Manning completed 42-of-56 passes for 414 yards, two touchdowns, and two interceptions. In addition, he had a rushing touchdown. Manning's 414 passing yards marked the most he threw for in college. After a 24–12 win over
rival Mississippi State
Mississippi State University for Agriculture and Applied Science, commonly known as Mississippi State University (MSU), is a public land-grant research university in Mississippi State, Mississippi, United States. It is classified among "R ...
, the Rebels qualified for the
Independence Bowl with a 6–6 record to face off against
Nebraska
Nebraska ( ) is a landlocked U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern region of the United States. It borders South Dakota to the north; Iowa to the east and Missouri to the southeast, both across the Missouri River; Ka ...
.
Manning passed for 313 yards and one touchdown in the 27–23 victory. Overall, Manning finished with 3,401 passing yards, 21 touchdowns, and 15 interceptions in his junior season.
2003 season
Manning started off his senior season with a 2–2 record. He played well in that stretch with 1,329 passing yards, 11 touchdowns and four interceptions, with victories over
Vanderbilt and
Louisiana-Monroe, but had losses to
Memphis and
Texas Tech. The Rebels went on a six-game winning streak that included victories over major SEC opponents #24
Florida
Florida ( ; ) is a U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern region of the United States. It borders the Gulf of Mexico to the west, Alabama to the northwest, Georgia (U.S. state), Georgia to the north, the Atlantic ...
,
Alabama
Alabama ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern and Deep South, Deep Southern regions of the United States. It borders Tennessee to the north, Georgia (U.S. state), Georgia to the east, Florida and the Gu ...
, #21
Arkansas
Arkansas ( ) is a landlocked state in the West South Central region of the Southern United States. It borders Missouri to the north, Tennessee and Mississippi to the east, Louisiana to the south, Texas to the southwest, and Oklahoma ...
,
South Carolina
South Carolina ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern region of the United States. It borders North Carolina to the north and northeast, the Atlantic Ocean to the southeast, and Georgia (U.S. state), Georg ...
, and
Auburn. Manning passed for 1,552 yards, 12 touchdowns, and four interceptions in the winning streak. Overall, he led the Rebels to a 10–3 record, and a 31–28
SBC Cotton Bowl Classic victory over #21
Oklahoma State, with 259 passing yards and two touchdowns in 2003. Manning helped lead Ole Miss to their first ten-win season since 1971.
As his senior year came to a close, Manning won many awards, including the
Maxwell Award as the nation's best all-around player, the
Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award
The Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award is given annually in the United States to the nation's top upperclassman quarterback in college football. Candidates are judged on accomplishments on the field as well as on their character, scholastic achievem ...
, the
National Football Foundation and
College Football Hall of Fame
The College Football Hall of Fame is a hall of fame and interactive Tourist attraction, attraction devoted to college football, college American football. The National Football Foundation (NFF) founded the Hall in 1951 to immortalize the players ...
Scholar-Athlete Award, the
Sporting News Radio Socrates Award, and the
SEC Most Valuable Player Award. He was also a candidate for the 2003
Heisman Trophy
The Heisman Memorial Trophy ( ; also known simply as the Heisman) is awarded annually since 1935 to the top player in college football. It is considered the most prestigious award in the sport and is presented by the Heisman Trophy Trust followin ...
, finishing third in the voting after winning quarterback
Jason White (
University of Oklahoma
The University of Oklahoma (OU) is a Public university, public research university in Norman, Oklahoma, United States. Founded in 1890, it had existed in Oklahoma Territory near Indian Territory for 17 years before the two territories became the ...
) and wide receiver
Larry Fitzgerald (
University of Pittsburgh
The University of Pittsburgh (Pitt) is a Commonwealth System of Higher Education, state-related research university in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States. The university is composed of seventeen undergraduate and graduate schools and colle ...
).
Manning was a member of the
Sigma Nu fraternity (as was his father), and he was named Sigma Nu Athlete of the Year in 2001 and 2003.
Manning graduated from the University of Mississippi with a degree in
marketing
Marketing is the act of acquiring, satisfying and retaining customers. It is one of the primary components of Business administration, business management and commerce.
Marketing is usually conducted by the seller, typically a retailer or ma ...
and a
GPA of 3.44 and was on the Dean's Honor Roll.
Awards
* 2001:
Conerly Trophy – Best College Football Player in Mississippi
* 2001:
Davey O'Brien Award
The Davey O'Brien Award, officially the Davey O'Brien National Quarterback Award, named after Davey O'Brien, is presented annually to the collegiate American football player judged by the Davey O'Brien Foundation to be the best of all National C ...
(finalist) – Awarded to the Nation's Top Quarterback
* 2001: Honorable Mention All-American – ''The Football News''
* 2002:
Independence Bowl MVP
* 2003: Second Team All-American – ''
The Associated Press''
* 2003:
Maxwell Award – Nation's Top Player
* 2003:
Conerly Trophy – Best College Football Player in Mississippi
* 2003: SEC MVP – ''Birmingham Monday Morning Quarterback Club''
* 2003: Sports Person of the Year in Mississippi – ''
The Clarion-Ledger''
* 2003: Mississippi Amateur Athlete of the Year – ''Jackson Touchdown Club''
* 2003: National Scholar-Athlete Class – ''Division I-A QB''
* 2003:
Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award
The Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award is given annually in the United States to the nation's top upperclassman quarterback in college football. Candidates are judged on accomplishments on the field as well as on their character, scholastic achievem ...
– Awarded to the Nation's Top Quarterback
* 2003: SEC Offensive Player of the Year – ''
The Associated Press'' and the ''SEC Coaches''
* 2004: Sporting News Radio Socrates Award
* 2004: SBC Cotton Bowl Classic MVP
* Colonel Earl (Red) Blaik Leadership Award – All-American Football Foundation
* ''USA Today'' Player of the Year in Louisiana
* First team All-American – ''The All-American Foundation''
* SEC Player of the Year – ''
The Commercial Appeal
''The Commercial Appeal'' (also known as the ''Memphis Commercial Appeal'') is a daily newspaper of Memphis, Tennessee, and its surrounding metropolitan area. It is owned by the Gannett Company; its former owner, the E. W. Scripps Company, also ...
'' and the ''SEC Coaches''
* First Team All-SEC – Associated Press
* SEC Top Offensive QB – ''Touchdown Club of Atlanta Wally Butts Award''
College statistics
Professional career
The
San Diego Chargers
The San Diego Chargers were a professional American football team in the National Football League (NFL). The Chargers played in San Diego, California from 1961 until 2016, before relocating back to the Greater Los Angeles area, where the franch ...
had the first overall pick in the
2004 NFL draft due to their 4–12 record in 2003. With Manning being the most coveted player in the draft, it appeared that the Chargers' intentions were to draft him first overall. Meanwhile, Manning and his father Archie Manning stated that he would refuse to play for the Chargers if drafted by them. Archie asked the father of former Chargers quarterback
Ryan Leaf before the draft about his son's experience with the team. In hearing that the Chargers did not help Leaf with his personal problems, it then became part of why Eli refused to play for the team.
The Chargers selected Manning with the first pick overall nonetheless, as the team had a deal with the
New York Giants
The New York Giants are a professional American football team based in the New York metropolitan area. The Giants compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC East, East division. The ...
, whereby the Giants would draft and then trade
Philip Rivers and a 2004 third-round pick, used to select placekicker
Nate Kaeding; a 2005 first-round pick, used to select linebacker
Shawne Merriman; and a 2005 fifth-round pick (which was later traded away) to the Chargers for Manning. He signed a six-year, $45 million contract with the Giants.
Manning was one of 17 quarterbacks taken in the 2004 NFL draft, along with Rivers and the
Pittsburgh Steelers
The Pittsburgh Steelers are a professional American football team based in Pittsburgh. The Steelers compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the American Football Conference (AFC) AFC North, North division. Founded in 1933 P ...
'
Ben Roethlisberger. All three would enjoy lengthy and successful careers with the teams that signed them and have been compared favorably to the
1983 NFL draft
The 1983 NFL draft was the procedure by which National Football League teams selected amateur college football players. It is officially known as the NFL Annual Player Selection Meeting. The draft was held April 26–27, 1983, at the New York Sh ...
, which included
Hall of Fame
A hall, wall, or walk of fame is a list of individuals, achievements, or other entities, usually chosen by a group of electors, to mark their excellence or Wiktionary:fame, fame in their field. In some cases, these halls of fame consist of actu ...
quarterbacks
John Elway,
Jim Kelly, and
Dan Marino
Daniel Constantine Marino Jr. ( ; born September 15, 1961) is an American former professional American football, football quarterback who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 17 seasons with the Miami Dolphins. He played college f ...
. Manning posted the lowest passing yards, touchdowns, pass completions, completion percentage, TD–INT ratio, passer rating, wins, winning percentage, and
Pro Bowl
The National Football League All-Star Game (1939–1942), Pro Bowl (1951–2022), or Pro Bowl Games (since 2023) is an annual event held by the National Football League (NFL) featuring the league's All-star, star players.
The format has changed ...
honors of the three, but cemented his legacy with his two upset
Super Bowl
The Super Bowl is the annual History of the NFL championship, league championship game of the National Football League (NFL) of the United States. It has served as the final game of every NFL season since 1966 NFL season, 1966 (with the excep ...
victories against the
New England Patriots
The New England Patriots are a professional American football team based in the Greater Boston area. The Patriots compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the American Football Conference (AFC) AFC East, East division. The Pa ...
'
dynasty
A dynasty is a sequence of rulers from the same family, usually in the context of a monarchy, monarchical system, but sometimes also appearing in republics. A dynasty may also be referred to as a "house", "family" or "clan", among others.
H ...
. While both Manning and Roethlisberger were part of two Super Bowl-winning teams, Manning is the only quarterback of the three to earn
Super Bowl MVP honors, which he received in both victories.
2004 season
Manning made his NFL regular season debut in Week 1 against the
Philadelphia Eagles
The Philadelphia Eagles are a professional American football team based in Philadelphia. The Eagles compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC East, East division. The team plays its ...
. He came into the game toward the end the fourth quarter in relief of
Kurt Warner. He finished the 31–17 loss 3-of-9 for 66 yards. Manning made his first career regular season start against the
Atlanta Falcons
The Atlanta Falcons are a professional American football team based in Atlanta. The Falcons compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC South, South division. The Falcons were founded o ...
at
Giants Stadium
Giants Stadium (sometimes referred to as Giants Stadium at the Meadowlands) was a stadium located in East Rutherford, New Jersey, in the Meadowlands Sports Complex. The venue was open from 1976 to 2010, and primarily hosted sporting events and ...
on November 21, 2004. In the game, Manning threw his first career touchdown on a six-yard pass to
Jeremy Shockey in the third quarter. In his fourth start, against the
Baltimore Ravens
The Baltimore Ravens are a professional American football team based in Baltimore. The Ravens compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the American Football Conference (AFC) AFC North, North division. The team plays its home g ...
at
M&T Bank Stadium on December 12, 2004, he ended the day with a 0.0 passer rating and was benched in the second half in favor of Warner, but remained the Giants starter through the end of the season. In Week 15, against the
Pittsburgh Steelers
The Pittsburgh Steelers are a professional American football team based in Pittsburgh. The Steelers compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the American Football Conference (AFC) AFC North, North division. Founded in 1933 P ...
, he recorded his first multi-touchdown performance with 182 passing yards, two touchdowns, and one interception in the 33–30 loss in a duel with fellow rookie quarterback Ben Roethlisberger. In the regular season finale, Manning passed for 144 yards, three touchdowns, and one interception in the 28–24 victory over the
Dallas Cowboys
The Dallas Cowboys are a professional American football team based in the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex. The Cowboys compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC East, East division. T ...
, getting his first win as a starter. The Giants finished with a 6–10 record and were 1–6 in games that Manning started in. He finished with 1,043 passing yards, six touchdowns, and nine interceptions.
2005 season: NFC East champions
Following 2004, Warner left the Giants,
and Manning was named the starter for 2005. Manning led the Giants to a 2–0 record with victories against the
Arizona Cardinals
The Arizona Cardinals are a professional American football team based in the Phoenix metropolitan area. The Cardinals compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC West, West division. The ...
and
New Orleans Saints
The New Orleans Saints are a professional American football team based in New Orleans. The Saints compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC South, South division. Since 1975, the team ...
,
before traveling to the
West Coast for a test in a road game against the
San Diego Chargers
The San Diego Chargers were a professional American football team in the National Football League (NFL). The Chargers played in San Diego, California from 1961 until 2016, before relocating back to the Greater Los Angeles area, where the franch ...
. Chargers fans did not forget the snub, and on September 25, 2005, when Manning and the Giants made their first trip to San Diego for a game since that draft day, the crowd booed Manning loudly every time he touched the ball. San Diego defeated the Giants 45–23,
but Manning displayed what may have been his most impressive performance of his young career, going 24-of-41 for 352 yards and two touchdowns.
Manning returned home to throw for almost 300 yards and a career-high four touchdowns against the
St. Louis Rams at Giants Stadium in a 44–24 romp.
Two games later, he led a last-minute drive against the
Denver Broncos
The Denver Broncos are a professional American football team based in Denver. The Broncos compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the American Football Conference (AFC) AFC West, West division. The team is headquartered in E ...
to secure a 24–23 victory for the Giants.
The drive culminated in a two-yard touchdown to
Amani Toomer with five seconds remaining.
Two weeks later, Manning overcame a weak first half against the
San Francisco 49ers
The San Francisco 49ers (also written as the San Francisco Forty-Niners and nicknamed the Niners) are a professional American football team based in the San Francisco Bay Area. The 49ers compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member ...
to help his team secure their first official road victory of the season, 24–6. Despite a poor performance at home against the
Minnesota Vikings
The Minnesota Vikings are a professional American football team based in Minneapolis. The Vikings compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC North, North division. Founded in 1960 as ...
, throwing four
interceptions
In ball-playing competitive team sports, an interception or pick is a move by a player involving a pass of the ball—whether by foot or hand, depending on the rules of the sport—in which the ball is intended for a player of the same team bu ...
, he again led his team back to tie the game in the final minutes before the Vikings won on a late field goal.
Manning finished among the top five quarterbacks in both passing yards and touchdown passes, while leading an offense that finished third in the NFL in scoring with a total of 422 points. It was the most points the Giants scored in a single season since
1963
Events January
* January 1 – Bogle–Chandler case: Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation scientist Dr. Gilbert Bogle and Mrs. Margaret Chandler are found dead (presumed poisoned), in bushland near the Lane Cove ...
. The Giants won the
NFC East
The National Football Conference – Eastern Division or NFC East is one of the four Division (sport), divisions of the National Football Conference (NFC) in the National Football League (NFL). It has four members: the Dallas Cowboys, New Yo ...
with an 11–5 record
and advanced to the
postseason as the #4-seed. In the
Wild Card Round against the
Carolina Panthers
The Carolina Panthers are a professional American football team based in Charlotte, North Carolina. The Panthers compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC South, South division. The t ...
, Manning was 10-of-18 for 113 yards and three interceptions in the 23–0 loss.
2006 season
Manning's second full season was reminiscent of his 2005 season. He started off playing well and completed over 65 percent of his passes through the first four games. However, he struggled in the second half of the season and his production diminished towards the end of the regular season. After losing a tough game to his brother Peyton and the
Indianapolis Colts
The Indianapolis Colts are a professional American football team based in Indianapolis. The Colts compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the American Football Conference (AFC) AFC South, South division. Since the 2008 India ...
on opening day,
Manning and the Giants rebounded from a 24–7 fourth quarter deficit en route to a 30–24 overtime victory over the division rival
Philadelphia Eagles
The Philadelphia Eagles are a professional American football team based in Philadelphia. The Eagles compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC East, East division. The team plays its ...
in Week 2.
Manning threw for a career-high 371 yards in the win with three touchdowns including a game-winning pass to
Plaxico Burress in overtime to earn NFC Offensive Player of the Week.
Following a poor performance against the
Seattle Seahawks
The Seattle Seahawks are a professional American football team based in Seattle. The Seahawks compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC West, West division. The club entered the NFL a ...
the next week,
Manning and the Giants responded by winning five straight games including wins over the
Washington Redskins
The Washington Commanders are a professional American football team based in the Washington metropolitan area. The Commanders compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC East, East ...
,
Dallas Cowboys
The Dallas Cowboys are a professional American football team based in the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex. The Cowboys compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC East, East division. T ...
and
Atlanta Falcons
The Atlanta Falcons are a professional American football team based in Atlanta. The Falcons compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC South, South division. The Falcons were founded o ...
, to push their record to 6–2.
Following this winning streak, key injuries including one to wide receiver Amani Toomer pushed Manning and the Giants into a downward slide.
Playing against the
Chicago Bears
The Chicago Bears are a professional American football team based in Chicago. The Bears compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC North, North division. They are one of two remaining ...
, Manning started well, but the Giants' offense was derailed by the loss of left tackle
Luke Petitgout to a broken leg.
Manning was held to only 141 yards passing with two interceptions. Petitgout's loss left a gaping hole at the crucial left tackle position, and Manning was unable to repeat his first-half success. Manning struggled the next week against the
Jacksonville Jaguars
The Jacksonville Jaguars are a professional American football team based in Jacksonville, Florida. The Jaguars compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the American Football Conference (AFC) AFC South, South division. The team ...
and the week after that, a costly interception helped to culminate a huge collapse on the road against the
Tennessee Titans
The Tennessee Titans are a professional American football team based in Nashville, Tennessee. The Titans compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the American Football Conference (AFC) AFC South, South division. They play the ...
, with the Giants seeing a 21-point fourth quarter lead simply evaporate.
Manning improved the following week, throwing for 270 yards and two touchdowns against the Dallas Cowboys, but the Giants lost 23–20. Finally regaining momentum, Manning threw three touchdowns in a win on the road against the
Carolina Panthers
The Carolina Panthers are a professional American football team based in Charlotte, North Carolina. The Panthers compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC South, South division. The t ...
,
but then he stumbled badly in the final three games. He threw two interceptions against the Philadelphia Eagles and tallied only 73 passing yards in a game against the
New Orleans Saints
The New Orleans Saints are a professional American football team based in New Orleans. The Saints compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC South, South division. Since 1975, the team ...
. Although the Giants battled back to 8–8 the following week on the road against the Washington Redskins, Manning completed only 12 of 26 passes for 101 yards and one touchdown. The Giants qualified for the postseason as the #6-seed and met the Philadelphia Eagles. Although he did significantly better in this game than the 2005 playoff game against the Carolina Panthers, completing 16 of 27 passes for 161 yards and two touchdowns, the Giants lost in the
Wild Card Round on a last-second field goal by the Eagles.
For the year, Manning threw for 3,244 yards, 24 touchdowns, and 18 interceptions.
He completed 57.7 percent of his passes, a five-point improvement from 2005, but he again struggled badly in the second half of the season. Manning finished the season with a quarterback efficiency rating of 77.0 (18th in the league) with 6.2 yards per attempt.
2007 season: Super Bowl champions

Manning trained in the Meadowlands with offensive coordinator
Kevin Gilbride and new quarterbacks coach Chris Palmer prior to the 2007 regular season.
For the first time ever, Plaxico Burress
and Jeremy Shockey
practiced in the off-season with Manning to perfect their timing and chemistry rather than training alone in
Miami
Miami is a East Coast of the United States, coastal city in the U.S. state of Florida and the county seat of Miami-Dade County, Florida, Miami-Dade County in South Florida. It is the core of the Miami metropolitan area, which, with a populat ...
as they did in previous years.
2007 regular season
Manning opened the 2007 season with an outstanding personal performance against the
Dallas Cowboys
The Dallas Cowboys are a professional American football team based in the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex. The Cowboys compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC East, East division. T ...
, completing 28 of 41 passing attempts for 312 yards, four touchdowns, and an interception in New York's 45–35 loss.
However, he suffered a shoulder sprain
and was removed from the game late in the second half. Although he did play against the
Green Bay Packers
The Green Bay Packers are a professional American football team based in Green Bay, Wisconsin. The Packers compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC North, North division. They ar ...
in Week 2 while throwing for 211 yards with one touchdown,
the Giants defense performed poorly again and the team dropped to 0–2 with Green Bay winning, 35–13.
In week three, Manning got a come-from-behind victory as the Giants defense improved, pitching a shutout in the second half and stopping the
Washington Redskins
The Washington Commanders are a professional American football team based in the Washington metropolitan area. The Commanders compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC East, East ...
on a fourth and goal situation, winning the game 24–17.
The Giants defense then shut down the
Philadelphia Eagles
The Philadelphia Eagles are a professional American football team based in Philadelphia. The Eagles compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC East, East division. The team plays its ...
with an NFL record-tying 12
sacks,
holding the Eagles offense to one field goal. The Giants won with a score of 16–3.
The following week, Manning overcame a dismal first half to throw for two second-half scores
in a 35–24 win over their in-city rivals, the
New York Jets
The New York Jets are a professional American football team based in the New York metropolitan area. The Jets compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the American Football Conference (AFC) AFC East, East division. The team p ...
.
Following two straight home victories, Manning and the Giants obtained their fourth consecutive victory with a 31–10 defeat of the
Atlanta Falcons
The Atlanta Falcons are a professional American football team based in Atlanta. The Falcons compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC South, South division. The Falcons were founded o ...
in the
Georgia Dome
The Georgia Dome was a Stadium#Types, domed stadium in the Southeastern United States. Located in Atlanta between downtown Atlanta, downtown to the east and Vine City to the west, it was owned and operated by the State of Georgia as part of th ...
on ''
Monday Night Football
''Monday Night Football'' (often abbreviated as ''MNF'') is the branding used for broadcasts of National Football League (NFL) games that air on Monday nights. It originally ran on American Broadcasting Company, ABC from 1970 NFL season, 1970 t ...
''.
Manning performed well, completing 27 of 39 passes for 303 yards along with a pair of touchdowns while giving away two interceptions.
Behind a dominant defensive effort, the Giants improved to 5–2 the next week with a 33–15 win over the
San Francisco 49ers
The San Francisco 49ers (also written as the San Francisco Forty-Niners and nicknamed the Niners) are a professional American football team based in the San Francisco Bay Area. The 49ers compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member ...
.
Manning played well again, throwing for two touchdowns in the effort. In week 8, the Giants played a road game against the
Miami Dolphins
The Miami Dolphins are a professional American football team based in the Miami metropolitan area. The Dolphins compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the American Football Conference (AFC) AFC East, East division. The team ...
on October 28, 2007, in London's
Wembley Stadium
Wembley Stadium, currently branded as Wembley Stadium connected by EE Limited, EE for sponsorship reasons, is an association football stadium in Wembley, London. It opened in 2007 on the site of the Wembley Stadium (1923), original Wembley Sta ...
.
Manning only threw for 59 yards in the rain and mud, but he scored the Giants' only touchdown on a 10-yard run.
This touchdown was the first in an NFL regular season game that was played outside of North America. The Giants defeated the Dolphins, 13–10, bringing the Giants to a 6–2 record at the mid-way point of the 2007 season.
After losing to their division rivals the Dallas Cowboys in Week 9,
New York Giants co-owner
John Mara publicly questioned Manning's ability to lead the Giants in 2007, but more importantly, in the future:
After a week of criticism in the New York media and being outplayed by Cowboys quarterback
Tony Romo, Manning had a bounce-back victory against their conference Wild Card competitors the
Detroit Lions
The Detroit Lions are a professional American football team based in Detroit. The Lions compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC North, North division. The team plays their home game ...
.
Manning threw for 283 yards and one touchdown but most importantly, no interceptions in a critical road game.
The following week in a 41–17 loss to the
Minnesota Vikings
The Minnesota Vikings are a professional American football team based in Minneapolis. The Vikings compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC North, North division. Founded in 1960 as ...
, Manning threw four interceptions and had three of them returned for touchdowns.
He continued to struggle until the last game of the season,
against the 15–0 New England Patriots
The New England Patriots are a professional American football team based in the Greater Boston area. The Patriots compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the American Football Conference (AFC) AFC East, East division. The Pa ...
. With a playoff spot secured, the Giants could have rested their starters for the playoffs, but they instead chose to keep in the regulars and attempt to stop New England's quest for an undefeated regular season.
The Giants lost 38–35, with Manning completing 22 of 32 passes for 252 yards, with four touchdowns and one interception.
2007 playoffs
The Giants entered the playoffs as the #5-seed. On January 6, 2008, in the
Wild Card Round, Manning went 20-of-27 for 185 yards playing on the road against the
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers (colloquially known as the Bucs) are a professional American football team based in Tampa, Florida. The Buccaneers compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC S ...
. The underdog Giants won 24–14, and Manning had two touchdown passes.
On January 13, 2008, in the
Divisional Round Manning led the Giants to an upset victory over the heavily favored Dallas Cowboys, the number one seed in the
NFC.
For the third straight game, Manning played well, completing 12 of 18 passes for 163 yards and two touchdowns with no interceptions.
The Giants were the first team to beat an NFC number one seed in the Divisional Round since the start of the 12-team format in 1990.
This victory secured an
NFC Championship berth against the Green Bay Packers on January 20, 2008. In the NFC Championship, the Giants beat the Packers in overtime, with a score of 23–20 in one of the coldest postseason games in NFL history.
The dramatic victory secured Manning and the Giants a trip to
Super Bowl XLII.
This was the first Super Bowl appearance for the New York Giants since
Super Bowl XXXV in 2001.
Super Bowl XLII

In front of a record-setting American television audience and on the strength of a late fourth quarter drive led by Manning, the Giants beat the 12.5 point-favored, undefeated New England Patriots 17–14.
Trailing 14–10 with 2:42 remaining, Manning led the Giants 83 yards on a game-winning touchdown drive. On a crucial third-and-5 at the Giants' 44-yard line, Manning connected with
David Tyree on a play in which he avoided several
sacks and Tyree
caught the ball off his helmet for a large gain. Four plays later, Plaxico Burress caught a 13-yard touchdown pass with just 35 seconds remaining for the winning margin.
Manning became only the second quarterback in NFL history to throw two go-ahead fourth quarter touchdowns in a Super Bowl (
Joe Montana being the first in
Super Bowl XXIII in 1989).
Manning also became the first quarterback to throw a last-minute, championship-winning touchdown in the NFL title game (including the pre-Super Bowl era) when a field goal would not at least tie the game.
Manning was named the Most Valuable Player of Super Bowl XLII. He and his brother Peyton are the only brother combination to play at quarterback in the Super Bowl and the only set of brothers to win Super Bowl MVP, doing so in successive years.
For winning Super Bowl MVP, he was given his choice of any 2008 model
Cadillac
Cadillac Motor Car Division, or simply Cadillac (), is the luxury vehicle division (business), division of the American automobile manufacturer General Motors (GM). Its major markets are the United States, Canada and China; Cadillac models are ...
, and Manning chose an
Escalade Hybrid. The Wednesday following the Super Bowl he appeared on the ''
Late Show with David Letterman
''Late Show with David Letterman'' is an American late-night talk show hosted by David Letterman on CBS, the first iteration of the ''Late Show'' franchise. The show debuted on August 30, 1993, and was produced by Letterman's production com ...
''.
2008 season: NFC East champions

Manning and the Giants opened the 2008 season with a win over their division rivals, the
Washington Redskins
The Washington Commanders are a professional American football team based in the Washington metropolitan area. The Commanders compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC East, East ...
, 16–7.
Manning completed 19 passes of 35 for 216 yards, and had one rushing touchdown and one interception. Post-match, he said: "It was a great opening to the season. There was a lot of emotion, a lot of excitement. You could feel it in the crowd."
In the Giants' next game, against the
St. Louis Rams, they won again, 41–13, behind a stellar Manning performance.
Manning finished the game with 20 completions, 260 yards passing and threw three touchdowns to three different receivers.
The victory also marked the team's fourth straight victory over the Rams. The following week, Manning rallied the Giants to more fourth-quarter magic, overcoming a late deficit to throw the go-ahead touchdown pass to tight end
Kevin Boss, and then in overtime, throwing a clutch 31-yard pass to Amani Toomer in the Giants' 26–23 win over
Cincinnati Bengals
The Cincinnati Bengals are a professional American football team based in Cincinnati. The Bengals compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the American Football Conference (AFC) AFC North, North division. The team plays its h ...
.
The fourth week of the season saw the Giants score on each of their first six possessions and dominate the
Seattle Seahawks
The Seattle Seahawks are a professional American football team based in Seattle. The Seahawks compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC West, West division. The club entered the NFL a ...
, 44–6. Manning threw for two touchdowns, completing 19 of 25 passes for 267 yards as the Giants totaled 523 yards on offense, their most since 2002.
Following a poor team performance in a 35–14 loss on the road against the
Cleveland Browns
The Cleveland Browns are a professional American football team based in Cleveland. The Browns compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the American Football Conference (AFC) AFC North, North division. The team is named after ...
, Manning and the Giants responded with a 29–17 win over the 49ers and battled to a hard earned 21–14 win over the
Pittsburgh Steelers
The Pittsburgh Steelers are a professional American football team based in Pittsburgh. The Steelers compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the American Football Conference (AFC) AFC North, North division. Founded in 1933 P ...
at Pittsburgh's
Heinz Field.
Manning completed 19 of 32 passes for 199 yards and one touchdown in the crucial win, which pushed the Giants to a 6–1 record.
The following week, the Giants beat the
Dallas Cowboys
The Dallas Cowboys are a professional American football team based in the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex. The Cowboys compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC East, East division. T ...
at home 35–14 to get to 7–1 at the midway point of the regular season. Manning threw three touchdowns in the game. New York improved to 8–1 with a 36–31 win on the road against the
Philadelphia Eagles
The Philadelphia Eagles are a professional American football team based in Philadelphia. The Eagles compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC East, East division. The team plays its ...
. Manning threw two touchdowns in the victory, but the crucial play occurred in the third quarter. With the Giants trailing by four, Manning appeared to make an illegal forward pass to tight end Boss. After review, it was determined that the pass was legal. The Giants scored a touchdown two plays later. Week nine pitted the Giants in a battle with the visiting
Baltimore Ravens
The Baltimore Ravens are a professional American football team based in Baltimore. The Ravens compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the American Football Conference (AFC) AFC North, North division. The team plays its home g ...
. The Ravens had come into the game with the league's third-ranked defense; nevertheless, Manning led the Giants to a decisive 30–10 victory, improving to 9–1, which included a 200-yard rushing effort by running backs
Brandon Jacobs,
Derrick Ward and
Ahmad Bradshaw. Two weeks later, the Giants faced the Redskins at Washington in their second encounter in the season. Manning threw his first 300-yard game of the season going 21-of-34 with an interception and a 40-yard touchdown pass to Toomer. The Giants beat the Redskins 23–7. In November, Manning was named the NFC Offensive Player of the Month. For the month, Manning threw for 1,036 yards and ten touchdowns, and compiled a 94.9 passer rating while leading the Giants to a perfect 5–0 record.
Manning was named to his first
Pro Bowl
The National Football League All-Star Game (1939–1942), Pro Bowl (1951–2022), or Pro Bowl Games (since 2023) is an annual event held by the National Football League (NFL) featuring the league's All-star, star players.
The format has changed ...
on December 16, making him the first Giants quarterback to earn the honor since
Phil Simms in 1993.
In week 15, Manning and the Giants visited
Texas Stadium
Texas Stadium was an American football stadium located in Irving, Texas, a suburb west of Dallas. Opened on October 24, 1971, it was known for its distinctive hole in the roof, the result of abandoned plans to construct a retractable roof.
Th ...
, where Tony Romo battled through a lower back contusion and connected with nine different receivers, finishing 20-of-30 for 244 yards and two touchdowns leading the Dallas Cowboys to a 20–8 victory. In week 16 against the
Carolina Panthers
The Carolina Panthers are a professional American football team based in Charlotte, North Carolina. The Panthers compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC South, South division. The t ...
with NFC homefield advantage on the line, Manning had a passing day of 17 of 27 for 181 yards and no interceptions. Manning led the Giants back from deficits of 21–10 and 28–20 to tie the game with just over three minutes left, including a bullet pass to
Domenik Hixon for a key two-point conversion to tie the game at 28. The game was played in freezing conditions.
After becoming the No. 1 seed in the NFC with a 12–4 record, the Giants had a first playoff round bye week and homefield advantage through the rest of the playoffs. In the
Divisional Round, they faced their archrival Philadelphia Eagles at Giants Stadium with its signature windy conditions. Philadelphia went on to win the game 23–11. Manning completed 15 out of 29 passes for 169 yards with no touchdowns and two interceptions.
2009 season

On August 5, 2009, he signed a six-year
US$
The United States dollar (Currency symbol, symbol: Dollar sign, $; ISO 4217, currency code: USD) is the official currency of the United States and International use of the U.S. dollar, several other countries. The Coinage Act of 1792 introdu ...
97.5million contract extension.
Manning and the Giants started the 2009 season with a 3–0 record. In Week 4, the Giants played the
Kansas City Chiefs
The Kansas City Chiefs are a professional American football team based in Kansas City, Missouri. The Chiefs compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the American Football Conference (AFC) West division.
Established in 1959 ...
. Manning was playing well up until the start of the fourth quarter when on a play-action fake, he injured his heel while passing downfield to
Steve Smith. He stayed in for the next play completing a 54-yard touchdown to
Hakeem Nicks. It was discovered that Manning had
plantar fasciitis
Plantar fasciitis or plantar heel pain is a disorder of the plantar fascia, which is the connective tissue that supports the Arches of the foot, arch of the foot. It results in pain in the heel and Sole (foot), bottom of the foot that is usuall ...
(inflammation of connective tissue within the soles of the feet) and there was speculation he would not play against the
Oakland Raiders
The Oakland Raiders were a professional American football team based in Oakland, California, from its founding in 1960 to 1981, and again from 1995 to 2019 before Oakland Raiders relocation to Las Vegas, relocating to the Las Vegas metropolitan ...
in Week 5. However, in Week 5, Manning played well, completing eight of ten passes for 173 yards and two touchdowns with the Giants winning 44–7. This was the first time in his career that Manning had a posted a perfect
passer rating
Passer rating (also known as passing efficiency in college football) is a measure of the performance of passers, primarily quarterbacks, in gridiron football. There are two formulas currently in use: one used by both the National Football Leagu ...
.
After this five-game winning streak, the Giants fell to a four-game losing streak, losing to the
New Orleans Saints
The New Orleans Saints are a professional American football team based in New Orleans. The Saints compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC South, South division. Since 1975, the team ...
, the
Arizona Cardinals
The Arizona Cardinals are a professional American football team based in the Phoenix metropolitan area. The Cardinals compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC West, West division. The ...
, the
Philadelphia Eagles
The Philadelphia Eagles are a professional American football team based in Philadelphia. The Eagles compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC East, East division. The team plays its ...
and the
San Diego Chargers
The San Diego Chargers were a professional American football team in the National Football League (NFL). The Chargers played in San Diego, California from 1961 until 2016, before relocating back to the Greater Los Angeles area, where the franch ...
, before winning again after a bye week on Week 11 when they played the
Atlanta Falcons
The Atlanta Falcons are a professional American football team based in Atlanta. The Falcons compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC South, South division. The Falcons were founded o ...
, winning 34–31 in overtime. Against the Falcons, Manning posted a career-high 384 passing yards with three touchdowns and one interception.
On
Thanksgiving
Thanksgiving is a national holiday celebrated on various dates in October and November in the United States, Canada, Saint Lucia, Liberia, and unofficially in countries like Brazil and Germany. It is also observed in the Australian territory ...
, the Giants traveled to
Denver
Denver ( ) is a List of municipalities in Colorado#Consolidated city and county, consolidated city and county, the List of capitals in the United States, capital and List of municipalities in Colorado, most populous city of the U.S. state of ...
to play the
Denver Broncos
The Denver Broncos are a professional American football team based in Denver. The Broncos compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the American Football Conference (AFC) AFC West, West division. The team is headquartered in E ...
where they lost 26–6. Manning completed 24 of 40 passes for 230 yards, with no touchdowns and an interception. In Week 14, they played their divisional rivals, the Philadelphia Eagles, and lost 45–38, where it was a close game from the start. Manning passed for a career-high 391 yards, three touchdowns and no interceptions but was not able to win the game. Next week, on ''Monday Night Football'', Manning and the Giants dominated the
Washington Redskins
The Washington Commanders are a professional American football team based in the Washington metropolitan area. The Commanders compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC East, East ...
, winning the game 45–12.
The next week, in the final game in Giants Stadium, Manning and the Giants lost 41–9 against the
Carolina Panthers
The Carolina Panthers are a professional American football team based in Charlotte, North Carolina. The Panthers compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC South, South division. The t ...
. The Giants did not fare better the next week on the road against the
Minnesota Vikings
The Minnesota Vikings are a professional American football team based in Minneapolis. The Vikings compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC North, North division. Founded in 1960 as ...
in the final regular season game, losing 44–7 while down 38 points in the fourth quarter. After the games, Manning apologized to the fans for the team's performance. The Giants finished the 2009 season with an 8–8 record and missed the playoffs.
Manning ended the 2009 season with career highs including 4,021 passing yards, 27 touchdowns, a 62.3 completion percentage rating, and a passer rating of 93.1.
2010 season

On August 16 during a preseason game against the
New York Jets
The New York Jets are a professional American football team based in the New York metropolitan area. The Jets compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the American Football Conference (AFC) AFC East, East division. The team p ...
, Manning was hit by Brandon Jacobs, then by
Calvin Pace, which knocked off his helmet, then went face first into Jim Leonhard's face mask. As a result, Manning had a large gash that needed 12 stitches, and he left the game.
Manning and the Giants started the 2010 season with a 1–2 start followed by a five-game winning streak. In Week 15, he had 289 passing yards, four touchdowns, and one interception in the
38–31 loss to the
Philadelphia Eagles
The Philadelphia Eagles are a professional American football team based in Philadelphia. The Eagles compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC East, East division. The team plays its ...
. In Week 16, Manning connected on with Mario Manningham on a then-career-high 85-yard receiving touchdown in a 45–17 loss to the
Green Bay Packers
The Green Bay Packers are a professional American football team based in Green Bay, Wisconsin. The Packers compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC North, North division. They ar ...
. The mark was broken the next week when Manning completed a 92-yard passing touchdown to Manningham in the 17–14 victory over the
Washington Redskins
The Washington Commanders are a professional American football team based in the Washington metropolitan area. The Commanders compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC East, East ...
. The Giants ended the
2010 NFL season with a 10–6 record. Manning led the Giants to a 17–14 win in the last game of the season against the Redskins, however, because of the Packers' 10–3 win over the
Chicago Bears
The Chicago Bears are a professional American football team based in Chicago. The Bears compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC North, North division. They are one of two remaining ...
, the Giants did not make the playoffs. He ended the season with 4,002 yards, a career-high 31 touchdowns, but also a career-high 25 interceptions, which marked the most by a quarterback in the 2010 season, and a 62.5 completion percentage.
2011 season: Second Super Bowl championship

In August 2011, Manning generated mild controversy in the sports media during a radio interview on ''
The Michael Kay Show''. When asked by host
Michael Kay whether he was an elite "Top 10, Top 5" quarterback in the same class as Tom Brady, he responded:
Manning received criticism for the quote for trying to inflate his own status and skills, with critics pointing out his past inconsistent stats, including his 25 interceptions in the previous season, as evidence contradicting his claims. However, Manning also received support for his comments from Giants coach Tom Coughlin, and teammates such as wide receiver Hakeem Nicks. Later in the season, Dallas Cowboys defensive coordinator
Rob Ryan commented on the quote, agreeing with Manning that he was an elite quarterback "for sure."
2011 regular season
The Giants opened the 2011 season with a slow start, losing to the rival
Washington Redskins
The Washington Commanders are a professional American football team based in the Washington metropolitan area. The Commanders compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC East, East ...
28–14– in an emotional game for both fanbases on the 10th anniversary of the
September 11 attacks
The September 11 attacks, also known as 9/11, were four coordinated Islamist terrorist suicide attacks by al-Qaeda against the United States in 2001. Nineteen terrorists hijacked four commercial airliners, crashing the first two into ...
. Manning completed 18 of 32 passes for 268 yards but threw a costly interception in the third quarter to linebacker
Ryan Kerrigan, who returned it for a touchdown and swung the momentum of the game. However, the Giants recovered and won their next three games, including over the arch-rival
Philadelphia Eagles
The Philadelphia Eagles are a professional American football team based in Philadelphia. The Eagles compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC East, East division. The team plays its ...
, where he had 254 passing yards and four touchdowns in the 29–16 victory to earn NFC Offensive Player of the Week. During this streak, Manning improved, throwing for 266 yards per game with eight total touchdowns and one interception.
After a 6–2 start, including a 24–20 last-minute comeback by Manning over the
New England Patriots
The New England Patriots are a professional American football team based in the Greater Boston area. The Patriots compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the American Football Conference (AFC) AFC East, East division. The Pa ...
that evoked comparisons to Super Bowl XLII, the Giants entered a tough stretch of their schedule, facing off against the
San Francisco 49ers
The San Francisco 49ers (also written as the San Francisco Forty-Niners and nicknamed the Niners) are a professional American football team based in the San Francisco Bay Area. The 49ers compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member ...
, the
New Orleans Saints
The New Orleans Saints are a professional American football team based in New Orleans. The Saints compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC South, South division. Since 1975, the team ...
and the
Green Bay Packers
The Green Bay Packers are a professional American football team based in Green Bay, Wisconsin. The Packers compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC North, North division. They ar ...
, the respective eventual NFC West, South and North champions. The Giants lost all three games as well as falling to the Philadelphia Eagles at home, leading them into a four-game skid and once again putting their postseason hopes in jeopardy. However, unlike the previous three seasons, the Giants finished strong, winning three of their last four games. This included a key win over their crosstown rival
New York Jets
The New York Jets are a professional American football team based in the New York metropolitan area. The Jets compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the American Football Conference (AFC) AFC East, East division. The team p ...
, where Manning tied an NFL record by completing a 99-yard touchdown pass to
Victor Cruz, as well as a sweep of their fellow division rival
Dallas Cowboys
The Dallas Cowboys are a professional American football team based in the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex. The Cowboys compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC East, East division. T ...
. In the final regular-season game against the Dallas Cowboys, Manning threw for 346 yards and three touchdowns, giving the Giants the win, the NFC East title, and a playoff berth for the first time in three years.
[ He earned a Pro Bowl nomination for his performance in the 2011 season. He threw for at least 400 yards in three separate games, setting a new franchise record.
]
2011 playoffs
The Giants entered the 2011 postseason as underdogs, with the worst record of any NFC playoff team. However, Manning and his team would once again demonstrate their endurance and durability late in the year. The Giants first easily routed the Atlanta Falcons
The Atlanta Falcons are a professional American football team based in Atlanta. The Falcons compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC South, South division. The Falcons were founded o ...
24–2 in the Wild Card Round and then stunned the defending Super Bowl champions and top-seeded Green Bay Packers in the Divisional Round to advance to the NFC Championship Game. In the win, Manning completed 21 out of 33 attempts and threw three touchdowns and one interception. The following week, the Giants avenged their regular season loss to the San Francisco 49ers with a dramatic 20–17 overtime win in the NFC Championship Game
The NFC Championship Game is the annual championship game of the National Football Conference (NFC) and one of the two semifinal National Football League playoffs, playoff games of the National Football League (NFL), the largest professional Ame ...
. In the game, Manning set franchise playoff records with 32 completions on 52 attempts, good enough for 316 yards and two touchdowns despite being sacked a franchise-record-tying six times. This victory secured Manning and the Giants a second trip in five years to the Super Bowl, setting up a highly anticipated Super Bowl XLII rematch against Tom Brady
Thomas Edward Patrick Brady Jr. (born August 3, 1977) is an American former professional American football, football quarterback who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 23 seasons. He spent his first 20 seasons with the New Engla ...
and the New England Patriots. The Giants also made history as the first Super Bowl team ever outscored in the regular season (394 points scored, 400 points allowed).
Super Bowl XLVI
In the most-watched program in the history of United States television, Manning once again led the Giants to an upset victory over the -point-favored Patriots 21–17, his second Super Bowl win and the fourth overall for the franchise.
While trailing the Patriots 15–17 in the final minutes, Manning led the Giants 88 yards down the field to a touchdown that many observers described as "accidental". With just over a minute of time left in the game, the Giants called a running play and Manning handed off the ball to Ahmad Bradshaw with the hopes of stopping short of the goal line and forcing the Patriots to use their final time out, thus allowing the Giants to run out the clock. The Patriots, in turn, did not attempt to tackle Bradshaw in his run, and he then fell over the goal line despite making an attempt to stop. However, the remaining time was not enough for Patriots quarterback Tom Brady to lead a comeback and the Giants held onto the lead to win. Manning was again named the Most Valuable Player of Super Bowl XLVI, becoming the third quarterback in a row to win the award. The Giants also became the first team ever with fewer than ten wins in a 16-game regular season to win the Super Bowl. Manning also became the first quarterback in NFL history to throw for 4,900+ yards and win a Super Bowl in the same season. The Giants were the first team with a running game ranked last (32nd) and a defense ranked as low as 27th to win a Super Bowl.
For winning the Super Bowl, Manning and the Giants received a victory parade in Manhattan
Manhattan ( ) is the most densely populated and geographically smallest of the Boroughs of New York City, five boroughs of New York City. Coextensive with New York County, Manhattan is the County statistics of the United States#Smallest, larg ...
and were honored with symbolic keys to the city by Mayor
In many countries, a mayor is the highest-ranking official in a Municipal corporation, municipal government such as that of a city or a town. Worldwide, there is a wide variance in local laws and customs regarding the powers and responsibilitie ...
Michael Bloomberg
Michael Rubens Bloomberg (born February 14, 1942) is an American businessman and politician. He is the majority owner and co-founder of Bloomberg L.P., and was its CEO from 1981 to 2001 and again from 2014 to 2023. He served as the 108th mayo ...
. He was ranked 31st by his fellow players on the NFL Top 100 Players of 2012.
2012 season
The Giants endured a disappointing season following their Super Bowl run in 2011. Manning led the Giants to a 6–2 record to begin their season, including a career-best 510 passing yards to go along with three passing touchdowns and three interceptions in a Week 2 41–34 win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers (colloquially known as the Bucs) are a professional American football team based in Tampa, Florida. The Buccaneers compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC S ...
. He finished second only to Phil Simms's game with 513 passing yards in 1985 for the franchise record. However, Manning averaged an anemic 204 yards per game and 74.3 passer rating from Week 8 to Week 16, including his lowest rating in five years (38.9) in a 34–0 loss to the Atlanta Falcons
The Atlanta Falcons are a professional American football team based in Atlanta. The Falcons compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC South, South division. The Falcons were founded o ...
in Week 15. He ended the 2012 season on a high note, throwing a career-high five touchdown passes while completing 13 of 21 pass attempts and passing for 208 yards with no interception
In Ball game, ball-playing Competitive sport, competitive team sports, an interception or pick is a move by a player involving a pass of the ball—whether by foot or hand, depending on the rules of the sport—in which the ball is intended for ...
s, in a 42–7 Giants win over the Philadelphia Eagles
The Philadelphia Eagles are a professional American football team based in Philadelphia. The Eagles compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC East, East division. The team plays its ...
. He finished the season with 26 touchdown passes, 15 interceptions and 3,948 passing yards
The following terms are used in American football, both conventional and indoor. Some of these terms are also in use in Canadian football; for a list of terms unique to that code, see '' Glossary of Canadian football''.
0–9
...
. As was typical for this phase of his career (2012–2016), Manning was exceptionally well-protected by his offensive line; he was sacked just 19 times for a league-lowest 3.4% of passing plays. Although the Giants did not qualify for the playoffs with a 9–7 season, Manning was selected to his third Pro Bowl
The National Football League All-Star Game (1939–1942), Pro Bowl (1951–2022), or Pro Bowl Games (since 2023) is an annual event held by the National Football League (NFL) featuring the league's All-star, star players.
The format has changed ...
as a second alternate. He was ranked 43rd by his fellow players on the NFL Top 100 Players of 2013.
2013 season
Manning started the 2013 season off with 450 passing yards, four touchdowns and three interceptions in a 36–31 loss to the Dallas Cowboys
The Dallas Cowboys are a professional American football team based in the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex. The Cowboys compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC East, East division. T ...
. Manning set a franchise record for most passing yards in a season opener, breaking Phil Simms's mark of 409 passing yards in the 1984 regular season opener. The loss was a sign of things to come as the Giants started the season with a 0–6 record, their worst regular season start since 1976. He threw 12 interceptions in his first five games. Manning fell to 0–3 against his older brother, Peyton in Week 2's 41–23 loss to the Denver Broncos
The Denver Broncos are a professional American football team based in Denver. The Broncos compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the American Football Conference (AFC) AFC West, West division. The team is headquartered in E ...
. He was 28 of 39 for 362 yards, but was intercepted four times. Manning's four interceptions tied his career high and was the fourth time he threw four interceptions in a game. The game between Peyton and Eli was the final professional meeting of the two brothers. In Week 15, Manning threw for 156 yards and a career-high five interceptions in a 23–0 loss to the Seattle Seahawks
The Seattle Seahawks are a professional American football team based in Seattle. The Seahawks compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC West, West division. The club entered the NFL a ...
. Manning ended the season with a career-high 27 interceptions, which were the most in one season by a quarterback since Brett Favre
Brett Lorenzo Favre ( ; born October 10, 1969) is an American former professional American football, football quarterback who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 20 seasons, primarily with the Green Bay Packers. Favre had 321 cons ...
had 29 in 2005. The Giants finished the season 7–9, their first losing record since Manning's rookie year in 2004.
Manning passed Phil Simms to become the franchise's all-time leader in yards passing. Simms, who played 14 seasons with the Giants, finished his career with 33,462 yards in the air.
2014 season
After an 0–2 start, the Giants won three straight games but subsequently lost their next seven games including a 16–10 loss to the San Francisco 49ers
The San Francisco 49ers (also written as the San Francisco Forty-Niners and nicknamed the Niners) are a professional American football team based in the San Francisco Bay Area. The 49ers compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member ...
in a game where Manning threw five interceptions, which tied his career high. The Giants won three of their last four games to end the season with a 6–10 record. Among Manning's highlights from the losing season was a Week 17 game where he had 429 passing yards, one touchdown and one interception in a 34–26 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles
The Philadelphia Eagles are a professional American football team based in Philadelphia. The Eagles compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC East, East division. The team plays its ...
. Manning finished the season with 30 touchdown passes, 14 interceptions and 4,410 passing yards.
2015 season
A few days before the Giants' regular season opener against the Dallas Cowboys
The Dallas Cowboys are a professional American football team based in the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex. The Cowboys compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC East, East division. T ...
, Manning signed a four-year, US$84million extension with the Giants. In Week 5, he had a franchise-record 41 completions for 441 passing yards, three touchdowns and one interception, in a 30–27 victory over the San Francisco 49ers
The San Francisco 49ers (also written as the San Francisco Forty-Niners and nicknamed the Niners) are a professional American football team based in the San Francisco Bay Area. The 49ers compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member ...
to earn NFC Offensive Player of the Week. Through six games, he led the Giants to a 3–3 record and a tie for first place in the NFC East. In Week 8, Manning threw a career-high six touchdowns and 350 yards, but the Giants lost to the New Orleans Saints
The New Orleans Saints are a professional American football team based in New Orleans. The Saints compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC South, South division. Since 1975, the team ...
, 52–49. He became the first quarterback in NFL history to throw for six touchdowns and no interceptions in a game and lose. In Week 10, in a narrow 27–26 loss to the undefeated New England Patriots
The New England Patriots are a professional American football team based in the Greater Boston area. The Patriots compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the American Football Conference (AFC) AFC East, East division. The Pa ...
, Manning passed for 361 yards and two touchdowns, one of which was an 87-yard strike to Odell Beckham Jr. in the first quarter. In Week 14, in a 31–24 victory over the Miami Dolphins
The Miami Dolphins are a professional American football team based in the Miami metropolitan area. The Dolphins compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the American Football Conference (AFC) AFC East, East division. The team ...
, he was 27-of-31 for 337 passing yards and four touchdowns to earn NFC Offensive Player of the Week. After starting the season 5–5, Giants fell to 1–5 the rest of the way to finish 6–10 for the second straight season. Manning's longtime coach in Tom Coughlin stepped down at the end of the season.
Manning finished the 2015 season with career highs in touchdown passes (35), completions (387), attempts (618) and passer rating (93.6). His 35 touchdowns were one shy of tying Y. A. Tittle for most in a single season in franchise history and ranked tied for second among quarterbacks that year. Manning also threw 4,432 yards in 2015, second most in his career. On January 22, 2016, Manning was selected to his fourth career Pro Bowl, replacing Ben Roethlisberger. Manning's fourth Pro Bowl berth ties Fran Tarkenton
Francis Asbury Tarkenton (born February 3, 1940), nicknamed "the Scrambler", is an American former professional football quarterback who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 18 seasons, primarily with the Minnesota Vikings. He is wi ...
for most Pro Bowl selections by a New York Giants quarterback in franchise history. He was ranked 47th by his fellow players on the NFL Top 100 Players of 2016.
2016 season: Return to the playoffs
Manning had a new head coach in Ben McAdoo for the 2016 season. Manning and the Giants started the 2016 season with a 2–3 record over the first five games. In the next game, a 27–23 victory over the Baltimore Ravens
The Baltimore Ravens are a professional American football team based in Baltimore. The Ravens compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the American Football Conference (AFC) AFC North, North division. The team plays its home g ...
, Manning threw for three touchdowns, reaching a career total of 302 touchdown passes and passing John Elway for seventh all time.
Coming off a bye week and on a two-game winning streak, beating the Ravens and the Los Angeles Rams
The Los Angeles Rams are a professional American football team based in the Greater Los Angeles, Greater Los Angeles area. The Rams compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC West, West ...
, Manning threw a season-high four touchdowns as the Giants would halt a last-second game-winning drive by the Philadelphia Eagles
The Philadelphia Eagles are a professional American football team based in Philadelphia. The Eagles compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC East, East division. The team plays its ...
to win 28–23. In a Week 16 loss against the Eagles on December 22, Manning set a franchise record with 63 pass attempts in a single game, while throwing one touchdown and three interceptions, surpassing Peyton Manning's record of 21 games with at least three interceptions with 22. Despite the loss, though, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers (colloquially known as the Bucs) are a professional American football team based in Tampa, Florida. The Buccaneers compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC S ...
lost to the New Orleans Saints
The New Orleans Saints are a professional American football team based in New Orleans. The Saints compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC South, South division. Since 1975, the team ...
later that week 31–24, giving the Giants their first playoff berth since the 2011 season, when the team last won the Super Bowl.
By defeating the rival Washington Redskins
The Washington Commanders are a professional American football team based in the Washington metropolitan area. The Commanders compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC East, East ...
in the final week of the NFL season on New Year's Day and, therefore, knocking the Redskins out of playoff contention and bringing their season record to 11–5 (their first winning season since 2012), Manning and the Giants faced the Green Bay Packers
The Green Bay Packers are a professional American football team based in Green Bay, Wisconsin. The Packers compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC North, North division. They ar ...
in Lambeau Field
Lambeau Field () is an outdoor athletic stadium in the East North Central states, north central United States, located in Green Bay, Wisconsin. The home field of the Green Bay Packers of the National Football League (NFL), it opened in 1957 Green ...
in the Wild Card Round of the NFL playoffs, as Manning completed 23 of 44 of his passes for 299 yards, while throwing for a touchdown. Manning was back to his playoff self in the game, but was let down by numerous drops by Odell Beckham Jr., and other star playmakers. The Packers would eventually rout the Giants 38–13, ending the Giants' season. Manning finished the season recording 4,027 passing, 26 touchdowns and 16 interceptions, with an 86.0 passer rating.
On February 4, 2017, Manning and Cardinals wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald both won the Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year Award
Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year is an award presented annually by the National Football League (NFL) honoring a player's commitment to philanthropy and community impact, as well as his excellence on the field. Prior to 1999, it was called si ...
, making it the first time since the 2006 season that two players were co-winners of this award (Drew Brees
Drew Christopher Brees (; born January 15, 1979) is an American former professional football quarterback who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 20 seasons. A member of the New Orleans Saints for most of his career, Brees is sec ...
and LaDainian Tomlinson
LaDainian Tarshane Tomlinson (born June 23, 1979), nicknamed "LT", is an American former professional football running back who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 11 seasons. After a successful college football career with the T ...
).
2017 season
Manning and the Giants started the 2017 season with five consecutive losses. The Giants broke their losing streak with a 23–10 victory over the Denver Broncos
The Denver Broncos are a professional American football team based in Denver. The Broncos compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the American Football Conference (AFC) AFC West, West division. The team is headquartered in E ...
in Week 6. The success was short-lived as the Giants lost the next game to the Seattle Seahawks
The Seattle Seahawks are a professional American football team based in Seattle. The Seahawks compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC West, West division. The club entered the NFL a ...
by a score of 24–7 to set off a three-game losing streak. During Week 9 against the Los Angeles Rams
The Los Angeles Rams are a professional American football team based in the Greater Los Angeles, Greater Los Angeles area. The Rams compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC West, West ...
, he became the seventh quarterback to reach 50,000 passing yards. On November 28, after a 2–9 start to the season, it was announced that Manning would be benched and replaced by Geno Smith in Week 13 against the Oakland Raiders
The Oakland Raiders were a professional American football team based in Oakland, California, from its founding in 1960 to 1981, and again from 1995 to 2019 before Oakland Raiders relocation to Las Vegas, relocating to the Las Vegas metropolitan ...
, ending Manning's streak of 210 consecutive regular-season games started. The streak was second all-time for quarterbacks behind Brett Favre's 297. Head coach Ben McAdoo gave Manning the option of starting to keep the streak going but Manning declined, stating that "My feeling is that if you are going to play the other guys, play them. Starting just to keep the streak going and knowing you won't finish the game and have a chance to win it is pointless to me, and it tarnishes the streak." The move was met with backlash from former Giants players and coaches. On December 5, two days after the Week 13 game, Manning was renamed the starter by interim head coach Steve Spagnuolo, after McAdoo was fired as head coach. During Week 15 against the Philadelphia Eagles
The Philadelphia Eagles are a professional American football team based in Philadelphia. The Eagles compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC East, East division. The team plays its ...
, Manning finished with 434 passing yards, three touchdowns and an interception. The Giants lost 34–29, allowing the Eagles to clinch a first-round bye. On December 24, against the Arizona Cardinals
The Arizona Cardinals are a professional American football team based in the Phoenix metropolitan area. The Cardinals compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC West, West division. The ...
, Manning passed John Elway to take sole possession of sixth place on the NFL's all-time passing yard list. Manning started the regular-season finale against the Washington Redskins
The Washington Commanders are a professional American football team based in the Washington metropolitan area. The Commanders compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC East, East ...
. In the 18–10 victory, he had 132 passing yards, one touchdown and one interception, as the Giants ended their disappointing season with a 3–13 record.
2018 season
Following speculation that Manning would be released, new Giants head coach Pat Shurmur put these rumors aside by saying "I think what's important is we have a guy here who has helped this organization win Super Bowls. He's an outstanding player and I'm really looking forward to working with him."
After losses to the Jacksonville Jaguars
The Jacksonville Jaguars are a professional American football team based in Jacksonville, Florida. The Jaguars compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the American Football Conference (AFC) AFC South, South division. The team ...
and Dallas Cowboys
The Dallas Cowboys are a professional American football team based in the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex. The Cowboys compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC East, East division. T ...
to the start the season, Manning and the Giants defeated the Houston Texans
The Houston Texans are a professional American football team based in Houston. The Texans compete in the National Football League as a member of the American Football Conference (AFC) AFC South, South division. The team plays its home games at N ...
by a score of 27–22. Manning was efficient, going 25-of-29 for 297 passing yards and two touchdowns. The Giants lost the next five games, with Manning leading the leagues in sacks for most of that stretch despite an improved running game from rookie Saquon Barkley
Saquon Rasul Quevis Barkley ( ; born February 9, 1997) is an American professional American football, football running back for the Philadelphia Eagles of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Penn State Nittany ...
. Manning had 399 passing yards against the Atlanta Falcons
The Atlanta Falcons are a professional American football team based in Atlanta. The Falcons compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC South, South division. The Falcons were founded o ...
, the fourth of these losses, but was sacked seven times and threw two interceptions in the following game against the Washington Redskins
The Washington Commanders are a professional American football team based in the Washington metropolitan area. The Commanders compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC East, East ...
. Manning rebounded with three touchdowns and no interceptions in the following week's 27–23 victory over the San Francisco 49ers
The San Francisco 49ers (also written as the San Francisco Forty-Niners and nicknamed the Niners) are a professional American football team based in the San Francisco Bay Area. The 49ers compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member ...
, and 17 completions on 18 attempts for two touchdowns in a 38–35 win the following week over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers (colloquially known as the Bucs) are a professional American football team based in Tampa, Florida. The Buccaneers compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC S ...
. The Giants went 4–4 over the last eight games of the season to finish 5–11 and last in the NFC East. Manning passed for 4,299 yards, 21 touchdowns and 11 interceptions in the 2018 season.
2019 season
The 2019 season was Manning's last remaining year on his contract. While the Giants had the option to release Manning in the offseason and save $17 million in both cash and cap space, the team opted to keep him on their roster. However, neither side held any discussions for a contract extension, causing doubt for Manning's future as the Giants' franchise quarterback beyond the upcoming season. The team selected quarterback Daniel Jones in the first round of that year's draft, which many saw as the Giants selecting Manning's successor while further cementing his own lame-duck status in the position. Manning was informed of the Giants' decision during their draft selection. Despite the pick, general manager Dave Gettleman said "the goal is for Eli to be our quarterback", while head coach Shurmur told Manning "it's your job to win games and keep onesoff the field".
Being on the Giants' roster meant that it would be Manning's 16th season with the team, marking a franchise record for the longest tenure for any player in its 94-year history. Manning started the Giants' first two games of the season, losses to the Dallas Cowboys
The Dallas Cowboys are a professional American football team based in the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex. The Cowboys compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC East, East division. T ...
and the Buffalo Bills
The Buffalo Bills are a professional American football team based in the Buffalo–Niagara Falls metropolitan area. The Bills compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the American Football Conference (AFC) AFC East, East div ...
. On September 17, 2019, the Giants announced that Manning would not start the team's Week 3 game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers (colloquially known as the Bucs) are a professional American football team based in Tampa, Florida. The Buccaneers compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC S ...
, instead opting for Jones. This was thought to be the end of Manning's time as the Giants' starting quarterback.
Due to an ankle injury suffered by Jones during Week 13 against the Green Bay Packers
The Green Bay Packers are a professional American football team based in Green Bay, Wisconsin. The Packers compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC North, North division. They ar ...
, Manning returned to the starting lineup the next week on December 9 against the Philadelphia Eagles
The Philadelphia Eagles are a professional American football team based in Philadelphia. The Eagles compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC East, East division. The team plays its ...
. During the game, Manning threw for 203 yards and two touchdowns to rookie wide receiver Darius Slayton, but the game ended in a 23–17 overtime loss for the Giants. As the game was televised on ''Monday Night Football'', it marked Manning's final primetime appearance. In the following week's game against the Miami Dolphins
The Miami Dolphins are a professional American football team based in the Miami metropolitan area. The Dolphins compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the American Football Conference (AFC) AFC East, East division. The team ...
at home, Manning started again and threw for 283 yards, two touchdowns and three interceptions, leading the team to a 36–20 win. As the game ended, Manning was taken off the field and received a standing ovation from fans who believed this was his final home game as the starting quarterback. Jones returned to action in Week 16 and finished out the season. Manning finished the year with 1,042 passing yards, six touchdowns and five interceptions in four games, as the Giants finished the season 4–12.
With his contract expiring at the end of the season, Manning was set to become a free agent for the first time in his career. When discussing his future plans, Manning stated that he did not wish to be a backup quarterback or pursue coaching opportunities with the team, as he felt he served both roles throughout the year and did not enjoy either one of them. Regardless, he said he would weigh his options for the upcoming season, stating "I think I can still play". During a radio interview weeks later, team co-owner John Mara said that the Giants would welcome back Manning the next year as a backup quarterback or in a front-office role, but that newly hired head coach Joe Judge would need to give his approval to include Manning on the roster.
Retirement and honors
On January 22, 2020, Manning announced his retirement, with an official press conference scheduled for January 24. John Mara stated during the press conference that Manning would be inducted into the Giants Ring of Honor in 2020 and that Manning's number 10 jersey would be retired.
Manning rejoined the Giants in 2021 in a business operations and fan engagement role, according to the team. His jersey retirement and induction into the Giants' Ring of Honor took place on September 26, 2021, at halftime of the Giants-Atlanta Falcons
The Atlanta Falcons are a professional American football team based in Atlanta. The Falcons compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC South, South division. The Falcons were founded o ...
game at MetLife Stadium
MetLife Stadium is a multi-purpose stadium at the Meadowlands Sports Complex in East Rutherford, New Jersey, United States, 5 mi (8 km) west of New York City. It opened in 2010, replacing Giants Stadium, and serves as the home for the ...
. In 2021, he was named to the Louisiana High School Sports Hall of Fame. He became eligible for Hall of Fame
A hall, wall, or walk of fame is a list of individuals, achievements, or other entities, usually chosen by a group of electors, to mark their excellence or Wiktionary:fame, fame in their field. In some cases, these halls of fame consist of actu ...
induction in 2025.
"The Manning Bowl"
Peyton and Eli Manning played against each other three times in the regular season during their professional careers. These encounters were colloquially dubbed "The Manning Bowl", and Peyton's teams, twice with the Colts and once with the Broncos, held a 3–0 record over Eli and the New York Giants
The New York Giants are a professional American football team based in the New York metropolitan area. The Giants compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC East, East division. The ...
. The first Manning Bowl was held on September 10, 2006, and Peyton's Colts defeated Eli's Giants
A giant is a being of human appearance, sometimes of prodigious size and strength, common in folklore.
Giant(s) or The Giant(s) may also refer to:
Mythology and religion
*Giants (Greek mythology)
* Jötunn, a Germanic term often translated as 'g ...
by a score of 26–21. The second Manning Bowl was held on September 19, 2010, with Peyton and the Colts beating Eli's Giants
A giant is a being of human appearance, sometimes of prodigious size and strength, common in folklore.
Giant(s) or The Giant(s) may also refer to:
Mythology and religion
*Giants (Greek mythology)
* Jötunn, a Germanic term often translated as 'g ...
again by a score of 38–14. The third and final Manning Bowl was held on September 15, 2013, and Peyton and the Broncos beat Eli's Giants
A giant is a being of human appearance, sometimes of prodigious size and strength, common in folklore.
Giant(s) or The Giant(s) may also refer to:
Mythology and religion
*Giants (Greek mythology)
* Jötunn, a Germanic term often translated as 'g ...
41–23. They faced each other in two Pro Bowl
The National Football League All-Star Game (1939–1942), Pro Bowl (1951–2022), or Pro Bowl Games (since 2023) is an annual event held by the National Football League (NFL) featuring the league's All-star, star players.
The format has changed ...
s, in 2009 and 2013, both won by the NFC. However, they never faced each other in the playoffs as both always played in separate conferences and never made the Super Bowl at the same time.
Post-playing career
Eli and Peyton Manning joined ESPN
ESPN (an initialism of their original name, which was the Entertainment and Sports Programming Network) is an American international basic cable sports channel owned by the Walt Disney Company (80% and operational control) and Hearst Commu ...
as an NFL analyst for the 2021 season, calling nine games during the season on an alternate broadcast called the '' Manningcast''. The show features segments with special guest stars from entertainment, politics, and sports while the Manning brothers watch the game. In addition, he currently hosts "Eli's Places" for ESPN+
ESPN+ is an American over-the-top subscription video streaming service available in the United States, owned by ESPN Inc., which is a joint venture between the Walt Disney Company (which owns a controlling 80% stake) and Hearst Communicati ...
, where he "travel to some of the most well-known and historic college football establishments and meet with giants in the sport to better understand what makes college football such a national sensation." He also received a nickname "Human Carbon Monoxide" or HCM from The Rock due to him not having a nickname unlike his brother Peyton "The Sheriff" Manning and Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson.
NFL career statistics
Regular season
Postseason
Awards and accolades
* 2× Super Bowl champion
The Super Bowl is the annual American football game that determines the champion of the National Football League (NFL). The game culminates a National Football League regular season, season that begins in the previous calendar year, and is the ...
( XLII, XLVI)
* 2× NFC champion (2007
2007 was designated as the International Heliophysical Year and the International Polar Year.
Events
January
* January 1
**Bulgaria and Romania 2007 enlargement of the European Union, join the European Union, while Slovenia joins the Eur ...
, 2011
The year marked the start of a Arab Spring, series of protests and revolutions throughout the Arab world advocating for democracy, reform, and economic recovery, later leading to the depositions of world leaders in Tunisia, Egypt, and Yemen ...
)
* 2× Super Bowl MVP ( XLII, XLVI)
* 4× Pro Bowl
The National Football League All-Star Game (1939–1942), Pro Bowl (1951–2022), or Pro Bowl Games (since 2023) is an annual event held by the National Football League (NFL) featuring the league's All-star, star players.
The format has changed ...
(2008
2008 was designated as:
*International Year of Languages
*International Year of Planet Earth
*International Year of the Potato
*International Year of Sanitation
The Great Recession, a worldwide recession which began in 2007, continued throu ...
, 2011
The year marked the start of a Arab Spring, series of protests and revolutions throughout the Arab world advocating for democracy, reform, and economic recovery, later leading to the depositions of world leaders in Tunisia, Egypt, and Yemen ...
, 2012
2012 was designated as:
*International Year of Cooperatives
*International Year of Sustainable Energy for All
Events January
*January 4 – The Cicada 3301 internet hunt begins.
* January 12 – Peaceful protests begin in the R ...
, 2015
2015 was designated by the United Nations as:
* International Year of Light
* International Year of Soil __TOC__
Events
January
* January 1 – Lithuania officially adopts the euro as its currency, replacing the litas, and becomes ...
)[
* NFC passing touchdowns co-leader (]2015
2015 was designated by the United Nations as:
* International Year of Light
* International Year of Soil __TOC__
Events
January
* January 1 – Lithuania officially adopts the euro as its currency, replacing the litas, and becomes ...
)
* Most consecutive completions to begin a Super Bowl: 9 ( XLVI)
* Third all-time for most consecutive starts by a National Football League quarterback: 210
Records
NFL
* Tied NFL record for longest pass completion and touchdown: 99 yards (2011)
* Most passing yards in a single postseason: 1,219 yards (2011)
* Most pass completions and attempts in a single postseason: 106 completions and 163 attempts (2011)
* Most fumbles lost (career): 56
New York Giants franchise records
* Most pass attempts (career): 8,119
* Most pass attempts (season): 618 (2015)
* Most pass attempts (game): 63 (December 22, 2016, against the Philadelphia Eagles)
* Most pass attempts (playoff career): 400
* Most pass attempts (playoff season): 163 (2011)
* Most pass attempts (playoff game): 58 (January 22, 2012, against the San Francisco 49ers in the NFC Championship)
* Most completions (career): 4,895
* Most completions (season): 387 (2015)
* Most completions (game): 41 (October 11, 2015, against the San Francisco 49ers in the NFC Championship)
* Most completions (playoff career): 242
* Most completions (playoff season): 106 (2011)
* Most completions (playoff game): 32 (January 22, 2012, against the San Francisco 49ers in the NFC Championship)
* Most passing yards (career): 57,023
* Most passing yards (season): 4,933 (2011)
* Most passing yards (playoff career): 2,815
* Most passing yards (playoff season): 1,219 (2011)
* Most passing touchdowns (career): 366
* Most passing touchdowns (playoff career): 18
* Most passing touchdowns (playoff season): 9 (2011)
* Most intercepted (career): 244
* Most intercepted (season): 27 (2013)
* Most sacked (playoff career): 27
* Most sacked (playoff season): 11 (2011)
* Most sacked (playoff game): 6 (January 22, 2012, against the San Francisco 49ers in the NFC Championship; tied with Phil Simms)
* Most fumbles lost (career): 56
* Longest completed pass: 99 yards (2011)
* Most fourth quarter touchdown passes, season: 15
* Most consecutive starts by a quarterback
The quarterback (QB) is a position in gridiron football who are members of the offensive side of the ball and mostly line up directly behind the Lineman (football), offensive line. In modern American football, the quarterback is usually consider ...
: 222 (210 regular season + 11 playoff games)
* Most 300-yard passing games: 366
Off the field
Personal life
In 2007, he proposed to long-time girlfriend Abby McGrew, whom he met while attending the University of Mississippi. The couple wed in a private ceremony held in San José del Cabo, Mexico, on April 19, 2008.
Together, Manning and McGrew Manning have three daughters and a son. They reside in Summit, New Jersey
Summit is the northernmost City (New Jersey), city of Union County, New Jersey, Union County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey, located within the New York metropolitan area. Situated on a ridge in north Jersey, northern–central Jersey, centra ...
.
Endorsements and investments
Manning co-starred with his brother, Peyton, in ads for NFLShop.com and Oreo
Oreo (; stylized in all caps) is an American brand of sandwich cookie consisting of two cocoa biscuits with a sweet fondant filling. Oreos were introduced in 1912 by Nabisco, and the brand has been owned by Mondelez International since its me ...
. Manning is a spokesman for Citizen Watch Co., Toyota
is a Japanese Multinational corporation, multinational Automotive industry, automotive manufacturer headquartered in Toyota City, Aichi, Japan. It was founded by Kiichiro Toyoda and incorporated on August 28, 1937. Toyota is the List of manuf ...
of New Jersey, and Reebok. He reportedly received several more endorsement offers after reaching Super Bowl XLII.
In August 2022, Manning joined the ownership group of the NWSL
The National Women's Soccer League (NWSL) is a women's professional Association football, soccer league and the highest level of the United States soccer league system#Women's leagues, United States soccer league system (alongside the USL Supe ...
's NJ/NY Gotham FC
Gotham Football Club is an American professional Association football, soccer team based in the New York metropolitan area that competes in the National Women's Soccer League (NWSL). Founded in 2006 as Jersey Sky Blue, the team was known as Sk ...
.
Philanthropy and service
Eli and Peyton Manning volunteered in the wake of Hurricane Katrina
Hurricane Katrina was a powerful, devastating and historic tropical cyclone that caused 1,392 fatalities and damages estimated at $125 billion in late August 2005, particularly in the city of New Orleans and its surrounding area. ...
. The Mannings assisted in the delivery of of water, Gatorade, baby formula, pumice, and pillows to the people of New Orleans. After touring the University of Mississippi Medical Center's Blair E. Batson Hospital for Children, he undertook a five-year campaign in 2007 to raise US$2.5million for the construction of "The Eli Manning Children's Clinics" at the children's hospital. Manning said in 2007, "I am humbled by the work they do and am honored to make this five-year commitment to help raise funds to build this state-of-the-art clinic that will serve Mississippi families for years to come."
Since 2008, Manning has been the host of Guiding Eyes for the Blind's Golf Classic, the oldest and largest charity golf event in Westchester County, New York
Westchester County is a County (United States), county located in the southeastern portion of the U.S. state of New York (state), New York, bordering the Long Island Sound and the Byram River to its east and the Hudson River on its west. The c ...
.
He is a former member of the President's Council on Physical Fitness and Sports
The President's Council on Sports, Fitness and Nutrition (PCSFN) is a Federal Advisory Committee Act, federal advisory committee that aims to promote "programs and initiatives that motivate people of all ages, backgrounds, and abilities to le ...
.
In 2010, Manning helped raise funds for awareness of the Deepwater Horizon oil spill
The ''Deepwater Horizon'' oil spill was an environmental disaster off the coast of the United States in the Gulf of Mexico, on the BP-operated Macondo Prospect. It is considered the largest marine oil spill in the history of the petroleum in ...
, in wake of the catastrophe.
In 2016, Manning was part of the 14th Annual BTIG Commissions for Charity Day, which was a fundraiser for hundreds of charities.
Television
On May 5, 2012, Manning hosted NBC's ''Saturday Night Live'' (season 37, episode 20), with musical guest, Rihanna
Robyn Rihanna Fenty ( ; born February 20, 1988) is a Barbadian singer, businesswoman, and actress. One of the List of music artists by net worth, wealthiest musicians in the world, List of awards and nominations received by Rihanna, her vario ...
.
Manning began hosting ''The Eli Manning Show'' in 2021 on the New York Giant's YouTube channel. The show has featured interviews with celebrity guests such as Derek Jeter
Derek Sanderson Jeter ( ; born June 26, 1974), nicknamed "the Captain", is an American former professional baseball shortstop, businessman, and baseball executive. As a player, Jeter spent his entire 20-year Major League Baseball (MLB) caree ...
, Tracy Morgan, Bill Murray
William James Murray (born September 21, 1950) is an American actor and comedian, known for his deadpan delivery in roles ranging from studio comedies to independent dramas. He has received List of awards and nominations received by Bill Murra ...
, and Caitlin Clark
Caitlin Elizabeth Clark (born January 22, 2002) is an American professional basketball player for the Indiana Fever of the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA). Regarded as one of the greatest female collegiate players, Clark was tw ...
.
In 2022, he went undercover as "Chad Powers" and participated in Penn State University football tryouts as a walk-on, which was filmed as part of an ESPN
ESPN (an initialism of their original name, which was the Entertainment and Sports Programming Network) is an American international basic cable sports channel owned by the Walt Disney Company (80% and operational control) and Hearst Commu ...
project.
Writing
In 2009, Eli, Peyton, and Archie Manning co-authored a children's book entitled, ''Family Huddle'', which describes in simple text and pictures how the three Manning brothers played football as kids.
Controversy
In 2014, Manning was sued in New Jersey Superior Court
The Superior Court is the state court in the U.S. state of New Jersey, with statewide trial and appellate jurisdiction. The New Jersey Constitution of 1947 establishes the power of the New Jersey courts: under Article Six of the State Consti ...
by sports memorabilia collectors who alleged that Manning and others conspired to sell them fraudulent memorabilia. Pretrial discovery included emails from Manning to Giants equipment manager, Joe Skiba, requesting "helmets that can pass as game-used." The suit alleged those helmets were eventually sold to the plaintiffs as game-used helmets. In May 2018, the suit was settled under confidential terms. According to lawyer and journalist, Michael McCann, Manning settled before trial in order to avoid damage to his marketability as an endorser and discipline from the NFL.
See also
* History of the New York Giants (1994–present)
* List of 500-yard passing games in the National Football League
* List of first overall National Football League draft picks
The NFL draft is an annual sports draft in which National Football League (NFL) teams select newly eligible players for their rosters. To be eligible for the NFL draft, a player must be at least three years removed from High school football, high ...
* List of New York Giants players
* List of most consecutive starts by National Football League players
* Manning Passing Academy
References
External links
{{DEFAULTSORT:Manning, Eli
1981 births
Living people
American football quarterbacks
American philanthropists
Isidore Newman School alumni
Eli
Maxwell Award winners
National Conference Pro Bowl players
First overall NFL draft picks
NFL players with retired numbers
New York Giants players
Gotham FC owners
Ole Miss Rebels football players
Players of American football from New Orleans
Sportspeople from Hoboken, New Jersey
Players of American football from Hudson County, New Jersey
Players of American football from Summit, New Jersey
Super Bowl MVPs
Unconferenced Pro Bowl players
University of Mississippi alumni