Since retiring at the end of the 2019 NFL season, Eli Manning has been enjoying some well-deserved time off. In his 16 seasons as a quarterback for the New York Giants, Manning set several franchise records, including records for passing yards, touchdown passes, and completions (over 4,800 of his throws met their intended target). On top of that, he’s known for leading the Giants to one of the greatest Super Bowl upsets in history—beating the undefeated Patriots in Super Bowl XLII in 2008. But is he flaunting his success and flashing his Super Bowl rings around? Absolutely not.
“They don’t come out much,” he tells Men’s Journal. “My kids didn’t even know I had them.”
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Read articleThat fateful Super Bowl XLII created all kinds of incredible moments, but perhaps none is more iconic than Giants receiver David Tyree’s incredible one-handed “Helmet Catch” in the fourth quarter of the game. That catch was a key part of the offensive drive that ended with the Giants scoring the go-ahead touchdown to win the game. Looking back, Manning couldn’t believe the catch was real. After running down the field to catch up with Tyree after the play, he had just one question for his teammate: “Did you catch it?”
He did. And soon enough, Manning and the Giants would be Super Bowl champions.
Of course, not every game in his career was so glorious. We also talked with Manning about some of his toughest opponents; linebacker DeMarcus Ware was a particular standout. Ware racked up more sacks on Manning than any other player, and he became a scary presence on the opposing defensive line—especially when he played for the Cowboys, who played the Giants two or even three times a season.
“He’s such a nice guy,” says Manning, “but I was happy when he left and went to Denver.”
Recently Manning’s been getting involved in other ventures, including joining the investment firm Brand Velocity Partners and dabbling in cryptocurrency.
“I’m still kinda learning what exactly it is and how it’s to be used,” he says, “but I think it’s here to stay.”
Other things in his life haven’t changed, however: He still gets into arguments with his brother, Peyton. One recent spat ended with them stranded on the side of the highway in Louisiana. Check out the video above to see how that story ends.
New York Giants wide receiver David Tyree wore this helmet in Super Bowl XLII. Tyree made a spectacular fourth-quarter catch of an Eli Manning pass by pinning it against his helmet as he was pulled to the ground by a New England Patriots defender.
The Giants have been in five Super Bowls throughout the franchise's history and have come out on top in four of those games. The four Super Bowl titles are tied with the Green Bay Packers for the fifth-most in NFL history.
When discussing the Giants' Super Bowl wins, it is impossible not to mention David Tyree's 'Helmet Catch' against the New England Patriots in Super Bowl XLII, a play which was ranked as the No. 1 play in Super Bowl history by NFL Films.
Facing a third-and-5 from their own 44-yard line while losing 14-10, Eli Manning was able to somehow escape the grasp of three Patriots defenders before heaving the ball downfield. Miraculously, Tyree made a leaping grab by pressing the ball against his helmet while New England's Rodney Harrison aggressively tried knocking it loose. The play gained 32 yards and led to the game-winning touchdown a few plays later, all of which occurred within the final minute of the game.
Tyree's incredible reception wasn't the only play from the Giants to make the NFL's Top 100 in Super Bowl history. In fact, it wasn't even the only play from that same game to crack the top 100. Plaxico Burress's 13-yard game-winning touchdown grab just four plays after Tyree's catch ranked No. 11 on the all-time list.
Coming in at No. 10 was Mario Manningham's impressive 38-yard sideline reception to start the Giants' game-winning touchdown drive against the Patriots in Super Bowl XLVI. Eight players later, Ahmad Bradshaw would score on a six-yard run to give the Giants a 21-17 lead with just 1:04 remaining.
The Giants had one play from their Super Bowl XXV victory over the Buffalo Bills to make the league's top 100 list, and it came at the hands and feet of wide receiver Mark Ingram. Down by two midway through the third quarter, Ingram caught a short pass from Jeff Hostetler on third and 13 and was able to fight his way for 14 yards and a first down. The play extended the drive and led to a touchdown run by Ottis Anderson to give the Giants the lead. This play landed at No. 49.
Two other plays from the Giants cracked the list, both of which came from Phil McConkey in Super Bowl XXI. Up 19-10 towards the end of the third quarter, the Giants ran the flea flicker to perfection and Phil Simms connected with McConkey for 44 yards, setting the Giants up on Denver's one-yard line. Joe Morris would punch it in for a touchdown on the following play, extending the Giants' lead to 26-10. The flea flicker reception came in at No. 63.
Only a few minutes later following an Elvis Patterson interception, McConkey would catch a six-yard touchdown pass from Phil Simms. The ball was first deflected up in the air by Mark Bavaro before McConkey snagged it, and the score gave the Giants a 33-10 lead. McConkey's touchdown catch was ranked No. 70 on the NFL's all-time list.
PFF's favorite draft prospect at each position
We are less than three months away from the 2021 NFL Draft, meaning a lot can change between now and April 29.
Despite the calendar just now turning to February, it is never too early to start learning about this year's crop of draft prospects.
Pro Football Focus compiled a list of the site's favorite prospects who are not getting the same amount of hype as top players such as Alabama's DeVonta Smith or Penn State's Micah Parsons. While there may not be as much buzz surrounding these players, the analytics site believes they each "have an elite grading profile combined with a physical skill set that's proven to succeed at their respective position in the NFL."
Here are some of PFF's Michael Renner's favorite draft prospects:
WR Elijah Moore, Ole Miss: (91.2 overall grade in 2020)
"Moore may get pigeonholed as an undersized slot only — the position he played this past year at Ole Miss — but that shouldn't necessarily be a bad thing with how dominant he was there. Moore not only possesses speed, but he also has quicks. More importantly, though, he's as tough as they come. He hauled in 9-of-11 contested targets this year despite being only 5-foot-9, 185 pounds. On top of all that, Moore won't even turn 21 until days before the draft."
OT Christian Darrisaw, Virginia Tech: (95.6 overall grade)
"Don't be surprised if we hear Darrisaw's name creeping up draft boards toward the top 10 this year. He's a people-mover who barely lost this past season. Despite facing a relatively tough slate of rushers in the ACC, Darrisaw didn't allow a single sack or hit and only gave up six pressures."
IOL Landon Dickerson, Alabama: (91.3 overall grade)
"Sadly, Dickerson's draft stock will take a hit after he tore his ACL in the SEC title game. But given the kind of person he is, it would be unwise to write him off as a rookie. Dickerson led the Power 5 with 14 big-time blocks this season, and that came playing high-level SEC competition and two playoff games. He was consistently excellent when he wasn't pancaking guys, too, and should be a steal wherever he lands on Day 2."
LB Nick Bolton, Missouri: (74.7 overall grade)
"The 74.7 grade may not sound impressive, but if you take it back to the beginning of 2019 when Bolton took over as the starter, his 91.2 overall grade is easily the highest of any Power 5 linebacker who played both seasons (Micah Parsons' 91.6 from 2019 has him beat). In fact, the next closest in the draft class is Auburn's K.J. Britt at 81.8. Bolton doesn't have quite ideal physical tools, but he has more than enough to be a quality middle linebacker in the league."
CB Asante Samuel Jr., Florida State: (81.8 overall grade)
"Cornerbacks at every single level of football were under fire this past fall, but Samuel still managed to come out unscathed. His 82.8 coverage grade was the eighth-highest among all starting cornerbacks in college football. He allowed a passer rating of 46.2 in his coverage all season, giving up only seven first downs and one touchdown all year. With similar instincts and athleticism to his father, Samuel seems a safe bet to overcome his small stature."
FINAL: Daniel Jeremiah's top 50 draft prospects
NFL Media analyst Daniel Jeremiah updated his ranking of the top 50 prospects in the 2021 NFL Draft for the final time before the start of the draft.
1 / 51
2 / 51
No. 50 Georgia CB Eric Stokes
(AP Photo/Brett Carlsen)
3 / 51
No. 49 Oregon S Jevon Holland
(AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez)
4 / 51
No. 48 LSU WR Terrace Marshall Jr.
(AP Photo/Michael Woods)
5 / 51
No. 47 Notre Dame OT Liam Eichenberg
(AP Photo/Carlos Osorio)
6 / 51
No. 46 Penn State TE Pat Freiermuth
(AP Photo/Barry Reeger)
7 / 51
No. 45 Wisconsin-Whitewater IOL Quinn Meinerz
(AP Photo/Rusty Costanza)
8 / 51
No. 44 Oklahoma EDGE Ronnie Perkins
(AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki)
9 / 51
No. 43 Alabama DT Christian Barmore
(AP Photo/Michael Ainsworth)
10 / 51
No. 42 Houston EDGE Payton Turner
(AP Photo/Matt Patterson)
11 / 51
No. 41 Minnesota WR Rashod Bateman
(AP Photo/Julio Cortez)
12 / 51
No. 40 Alabama IOL Landon Dickerson
(AP Photo/Vasha Hunt)
13 / 51
No. 39 Florida State CB Asante Samuel Jr.
(AP Photo/Gary McCullough)
14 / 51
No. 38 Virginia Tech OT Christian Darrisaw
(AP Photo/Matt Gentry)
15 / 51
No. 37 North Dakota State OT Dillon Radunz
(AP Photo/Bruce Kluckhohn)
16 / 51
No. 36 Oklahoma State OT Teven Jenkins
(AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki)
17 / 51
No. 35 Michigan OT Jalen Mayfield
(AP Photo/Paul Sancya)
18 / 51
No. 34 Missouri LB Nick Bolton
(AP Photo/Rogelio V. Solis)
19 / 51
No. 33 Washington EDGE Joe Tryon
(AP Photo/Stephen Brashear)
20 / 51
No. 32 Alabama QB Mac Jones
(Cooper Neill via AP)
21 / 51
No. 31 Penn State EDGE Jayson Oweh
(AP Photo/Barry Reeger)
22 / 51
No. 30 Georgia EDGE Azeez Ojulari
(AP Photo/John Amis)
23 / 51
No. 29 Washington DT Levi Onwuzurike
(AP Photo/Tony Avelar)
24 / 51
No. 28 Florida WR Kadarius Toney
(AP Photo/Phelan M. Ebenhack)
25 / 51
No. 27 Northwestern CB Greg Newsome II
(AP Photo/Tony Avelar)
26 / 51
No. 26 Mississippi WR Elijah Moore
(AP Photo/Michael Woods)
27 / 51
No. 25 North Carolina RB Javonte Williams
(AP Photo/Karl B DeBlaker)
28 / 51
No. 24 Tulsa LB Zaven Collins
(AP Photo/Mark LoMoglio)
29 / 51
No. 23 Kentucky LB Jamin Davis
(AP Photo/Bryan Woolston)
30 / 51
No. 22 Virginia Tech CB Caleb Farley
(AP Photo/Lynne Sladky)
31 / 51
No. 21 Miami EDGE Jaelan Phillips
(Matt Gentry/The Roanoke Times via AP)
32 / 51
No. 20 Alabama RB Najee Harris
(AP Photo/John Bazemore)
33 / 51
No. 19 Clemson RB Travis Etienne
(AP Photo/Brian Blanco)
34 / 51
No. 18 Miami EDGE Gregory Rousseau
(AP Photo/Phelan M. Ebenhack)
35 / 51
No. 17 Michigan EDGE Kwity Paye
(AP Photo/Paul Sancya)
36 / 51
No. 16 TCU S Trevon Moehrig
(AP Photo/Brandon Wade)
37 / 51
No. 15 Notre Dame LB Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah
(AP Photo/Keith Srakocic)
38 / 51
No. 14 South Carolina CB Jaycee Horn
(AP Photo/Mark Humphrey)
39 / 51
No. 13 USC OL Alijah Vera-Tucker
(AP Photo/Rick Scuteri)
40 / 51
No. 12 Penn State LB Micah Parsons
(AP Photo/Steve Luciano)
41 / 51
No. 11 Oregon OT Penei Sewell
(AP Photo/Ron Jenkins)
42 / 51
No. 10 Northwestern OT Rashawn Slater
(AP Photo/Charles Rex Arbogast)
43 / 51
No. 9 Alabama CB Patrick Surtain II
(AP Photo/Ron Jenkins)
44 / 51
No. 8 Ohio State QB Justin Fields
(AP Photo/Jay LaPrete)
45 / 51
No. 7 North Dakota State QB Trey Lance
(AP Photo/Sam Hodde)
46 / 51
No. 6 Alabama WR DeVonta Smith
(AP Photo/Chris O'Meara)
47 / 51
No. 5 Alabama WR Jaylen Waddle
(AP Photo/Vasha Hunt)
48 / 51
No. 4 BYU QB Zach Wilson
(AP Photo/George Frey)
49 / 51
No. 3 LSU WR Ja'Marr Chase
(AP Photo/Thomas Graning)
50 / 51
No. 2 Florida TE Kyle Pitts
(AP Photo/Sam Craft)
51 / 51
No. 1 Clemson QB Trevor Lawrence
(AP Photo/John Bazemore)
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Best of Mic'd Up from 2020 season
From Head Coach Joe Judge's debut to rookie safety Xavier McKinney's game-sealing Week 17 interception, go behind the scenes with the best of the Giants wired up from the 2020 season.