Eli Manning is taking the death of his former teammate hard. The two-time Super Bowl-winning quarterback recently opened up about former New York Giants quarterback Jared Lorenzen, calling the whole situation, “just sad.”
“I went to the funeral and I saw his parents, to see his kids, it’s just sad,” Manning said, according to TMZ. Lorenzen passed away in early July after dealing with heart and kidney issues at the age of 38. Once the news was announced, Manning released a statement.
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“Jared was a great teammate and friend. We competed against each other in college and came to the Giants together. My thoughts and prayers go out to his family. I will always remember his competitive spirit and his good nature. Jared has left us all way too soon.”
Lorenzen was a member of the Giants from 2004-2007 and he was primarily the third-string quarterback. He only saw action in four games and he completed four of eight pass attempts for 50 yards. However, he did earn a Super Bowl ring as he was a member of the 2007 Giants squad that defeated the New England Patriots in Super Bowl XLII.
Fans of college football know Lorenzen from his playing days at the University of Kentucky. His most notable season was in 2002 when he recorded 2,267 yards 24 touchdowns and five interceptions. He was named to the All-SEC Second Team and he led the Wildcats to a 7-5 record.
Jared’s father, Joe Lorenzen, has heard what Manning said about his son and he wishes nothing but the best for him this season.
“I wish nothing but the best for Eli,” Joe Lorenzen said to The New York Post. “He is a good man. I want to say a good kid, but he is a good man. I hope he has a great year this year.”
Along with playing college football and being in the NFL, Jared Lorenzen spent a few seasons playing indoor and arena football. In fact, the Kentucky alum was the commissioner of the Ultimate Indoor Football League in 2012.
Lorenzen also started the “Jared Lorenzen Project” which chronicled his weight-loss battle. When he started the project in July 2017, Lorenzen was 500 pounds. He lost around 100 pounds by April 2018.
