Eli Manning is no longer an active player in the NFL. On Friday, the former New York Giants quarterback announced his retirement from the NFL and held a press conference to thank everyone that helped him have a successful career. Once his speech came to an end, Manning was joined by his father, Archie Manning along, with his wife and four kids.
For those who are wondering if Eli Manning got his QB talents from his dad, the answer is yes. Archie played in the league from 1971-84 and he was a member of the New Orleans Saints, Houston Oilers and Minnesota Vikings. He made a name for himself when he was with the Saints as he was named to the Pro Bowl twice (1978, 1979) and was named to the Saints Ring of Honor.
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“I held up better than I thought I would; he held up, and we did, too,” Archie said, referring to himself and his wife, Olivia via Newsday. “It was a great day.”
Archie also said he understands how tough retiring has to be for Eli because he’s leaving the game healthy. That was not the same for his other son, Peyton who retired after the 2015 season and he was dealing with his share of injuries.
“One of the difficult things for Eli is he’s not hurt, he’s healthy,” Archie added. “That always makes it tougher for a player. But I think his emotions for retiring a Giant overcame how good he felt. He does feel like he can play.”
Eli may have a few years left in him, but at the same time, he has nothing left to prove. He led the Giants to two Super Bowl wins and he’s one of five players in NFL history to win multiple Super Bowl MVPs.
“I hope that I’ve represented the organization in the way that you wanted me to from my first day to my last,” Eli said during his press conference. “For most of my life, people have called me Easy. Believe me, there is nothing easy about today. Wellington Mara always said, ‘Once a Giant, always a Giant.’ For me, it’s only a Giant.”
It’s unclear what Eli will do next, but who wouldn’t want to see Eli and Peyton have their own television show?
