Giants Fans Shower Eli Manning With Praise Following Retirement Announcement

One of the NFL's longest-tenured quarterbacks officially stepped away from the game on Wednesday [...]

By John Newby

One of the NFL's longest-tenured quarterbacks officially stepped away from the game on Wednesday afternoon when the New York Giants revealed that Eli Manning is retiring. The former first-round pick from 2004 will be holding a press conference on Friday to give a final speech to the reporters and fans.

Manning's tenure in New York will end after 234 regular-season starts and two victories in the Super Bowl. He holds a regular-season career record of 117-117 and has four Pro Bowl appearances to his name.

While the move was expected due to Manning being a free agent in March, the fans were still unprepared to see it made official. The two-time Super Bowl MVP has been a major part of their lives for 16 years and having him walk away from the NFL truly marks the end of an era.

The fans took to social media on Wednesday afternoon in order to shower Manning with praise for his long career. They loved the work that he did in the Big Apple, and they were fully expecting to see his jersey retired.

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Manning may have been the topic of jokes during the final seasons of his career, but the Giants fans will never forget what he did on the biggest stage. This man delivered two victories in the Super Bowl, and he did so against the New England Patriots.

Following the 2007 season, Manning and the underdog Giants faced off with the undefeated Patriots. Tom Brady and his team were expected to easily take care of business and cap off a perfect season, but Manning threw a game-winning touchdown pass to Plaxico Burress to prevent this from happening.

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Is Manning worthy of enshrinement in the Pro Football Hall of Fame? This debate has raged for years, and it resurfaced once again on Wednesday afternoon. There are certainly some that doubt he will be included due to a career regular-season record of 117-117, but the Giants fans won't stand for that talk.

After 16 years in New York, those that root for Big Blue agree that Manning deserves to be in the Hall of Fame. They expect to see him selected five years into the future as a first-ballot player.

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When a prominent athlete walks away from the game that they helped define, there are many different ways in which their fans respond. Some express joy about a long and successful career. Others make predictions for post-career honors that could be awarded to the athlete in question. Sometimes, there are no words.

With Manning's retirement news surfacing on Wednesday, several fans on social media simply couldn't speak. They just showed their emotions through a variety of emojis and videos. They may have also sought out a hug or two.

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There is no denying that the Giants fans loved and respected Manning during his tenure with the team. He helped bring the team two Lombardi Trophies, and he did so without creating any controversy. He was, in their opinion, the perfect quarterback for this team.

Manning's impact on this franchise was so meaningful that it was only expected that he would elicit some bursts of emotions from the fans. Those that root for New York didn't try to hide the tears, however, they just accepted them as part of the grieving process.

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Considering that Manning is only 39 years old, there were questions about whether or not he would suit up for another team. After all, both Drew Brees and Tom Brady have played into their 40s. The two-time Super Bowl MVP likely thought about this possibility, but he opted to simply walk away from the NFL.

The fans are happy that Manning made this choice. They didn't want to see him in a different jersey. Former Dallas Cowboys running back Emmitt Smith turned heads when he finished his career with the Arizona Cardinals, and the Giants fans didn't want to see a similar situation.

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When Manning opted to walk away from the NFL, many fans of rival teams felt that it was the perfect time to hop in the comments and talk about why they dislike the longtime quarterback. Some users that root for the Eagles laughed at Manning and talked about the struggles that he had in later years. However, they were more of a vocal minority.

The vast majority of fans on social media actually took the time to mention how they respected Manning. Rooting for different teams did not mean that they did not appreciate everything that the veteran achieved in his career.

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Induction into the Pro Football Hall of Fame is not guaranteed for Manning, and he will have to wait five years before finding out the verdict. In the meantime, however, there are other honors that can be given to the former first-round pick. The Giants fans don't want any delay. They believe it's time to start honoring Manning.

Following retirement, the player can be honored in a team's Ring of Honor. They can also have their jersey retired in order for them to be the only player associated with a specific number. Manning defined No. 10, and the fans want him to be the only player to wear that number.

Photo Credit: Jim McIsaac/Getty Images

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