On December 3, 2017, the New York Giants stepped onto the field at the Oakland Coliseum without their franchise icon under center.
For the first time in 210 games, Eli Manning wasn’t starting. Instead, Geno Smith took the reins in a failed experiment that would expose the deep dysfunction within the organization.
Just a week prior, head coach Ben McAdoo pulled Manning aside with a puzzling proposal: he would start the game but be benched at halftime-regardless of the score.
“What if I’ve thrown four touchdowns? What if we’re up 28-0?” Manning recalled asking.
“You’re still getting pulled,” was the answer he received.
It was a ploy to maintain his consecutive-starts streak while transitioning away from him. Manning declined.
“I’m not playing just for a streak,” he told McAdoo.
“If you want to make a move, make a move.”
That decision-an awkward and public attempt at evolution-backfired. Smith finished with 202 passing yards, a touchdown, and two costly fumbles in a 24-17 loss. The next day, both McAdoo and GM Jerry Reese were fired. The organization’s mishandling of a franchise legend’s twilight was met with criticism from fans, analysts, and insiders alike. Marc Ross, the former VP of player evaluation, later called it “just f**ked up.”
Manning would reclaim the starting job and finish out two more seasons before retiring in 2019. While he never publicly lashed out, the emotional toll was heavy.
“It hurts,” he admitted recently on The Glue Guys Podcast.
“You see the end coming… and you don’t know if it’s the end of your career. It’s a lot of tears. Because of what you’ve put into it, what the game means to you, what your teammates mean to you.”
Despite the heartbreak, Manning maintained his professionalism, never creating tension within the locker room.
“I’m going to stand up, take it like a man,” he said.
From Legacy to Ownership
Fast forward to 2025, and Eli Manning‘s relationship with the Giants is entering a new chapter. According to CNBC and multiple reports, Manning is now leading an investment group aiming to purchase up to 10% of the franchise. With the team’s minority stake valued at roughly $750 million, the move is as ambitious as it is personal.
“There’s probably only one team I’d be interested in,” Manning said of the potential deal earlier this year.
After 16 seasons, two Super Bowl MVPs, and countless fourth-quarter comebacks, Manning isn’t just another former player-he’s a Giants institution.
Other retired greats have made similar moves-Tom Brady now holds a minority stake in the Raiders-but Manning‘s bid feels more rooted in legacy than leverage. Whether or not he seeks influence over football operations remains unclear, but his deep understanding of the franchise culture could be a valuable asset in ownership discussions.
For Giants fans, the message is simple: Eli never really left.
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