EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. (AP) — Eli Manning, who led the New York Giants to two Super Bowls in a 16-year career that saw him set almost every team passing record, has retired.
The Giants said Wednesday that Manning would formally announce his retirement on Friday.
The recently turned 39-year-old’s future had been in doubt since the end of the season. Manning’s contract with the Giants expired after the 4-12 season and there was little chance he would be returning after losing his long-time starting job to rookie Daniel Jones.
Manning said he wanted to think about his future after the season and roughly three weeks after the season ended he decided his career was over.
“For 16 seasons, Eli Manning defined what it is to be a New York Giant both on and off the field,” John Mara, the Giants’ president and chief executive officer said in a statement.
“Eli is our only two-time Super Bowl MVP and one of the very best players in our franchise’s history. He represented our franchise as a consummate professional with dignity and accountability. It meant something to Eli to be the Giants quarterback, and it meant even more to us. We are beyond grateful for his contributions to our organization and look forward to celebrating his induction into the Giants Ring of Honor in the near future.”
The Giants acquired Manning from San Diego on draft day in 2004 after the Ole Miss quarterback told the Chargers he did not want to play for them and forced the deal that general manager Ernie Accorsi gladly accepted.
It started a major turnaround for a team that was 4-12 the previous season.
EAST RUTHERFORD, NJ – SEPTEMBER 18: Eli Manning #10 of the New York Giants calls a play in the fourth quarter against the Detroit Lions during their game at MetLife Stadium on September 18, 2017 in East Rutherford, New Jersey. (Photo by Abbie Parr/Getty Images) 
EAST RUTHERFORD, NEW JERSEY – SEPTEMBER 15: Eli Manning #10 of the New York Giants makes a pass during their game against the Buffalo Bills at MetLife Stadium on September 15, 2019 in East Rutherford, New Jersey. (Photo by Emilee Chinn/Getty Images) 
EAST RUTHERFORD, NJ – JANUARY 08: Eli Manning #10 of the New York Giants runs off of the field after the Giants won 24-2 against Atlanta Falcons during their NFC Wild Card Playoff game at MetLife Stadium on January 8, 2012 in East Rutherford, New Jersey. (Photo by Chris Trotman/Getty Images) 
BALTIMORE, MD – DECEMBER 23: Quarterback Eli Manning #10 of the New York Giants closes his eyes as he prepares to warm-up before playing the Baltimore Ravens at M&T Bank Stadium on December 23, 2012 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images) 
EAST RUTHERFORD, NJ – NOVEMBER 06: Eli Manning #10 of the New York Giants runs off the field after warm-ups prior to their game against the Philadelphia Eagles at MetLife Stadium on November 6, 2016 in East Rutherford, New Jersey. (Photo by Al Bello/Getty Images) 
EAST RUTHERFORD, NJ – DECEMBER 14: Eli Manning #10 of the New York Giants throws a pass in the first half against the Washington Redskins during their game at MetLife Stadium on December 14, 2014 in East Rutherford, New Jersey. (Photo by Al Bello/Getty Images) 
ARLINGTON, TX – SEPTEMBER 16: Jaylon Smith #54 of the Dallas Cowboys hits Eli Manning #10 of the New York Giants in the third quarter at AT&T Stadium on September 16, 2018 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Tom Pennington/Getty Images) 
NEW YORK, NY – FEBRUARY 07: Eli Manning #10 of the New York Giants holds the Vince Lombardi Trophy during the New York Giants’ ticker tape victory parade down the Canyon of Heros on February 7, 2012 in New York City. The Giants defeated the New England Patriots 21-17 in Super Bowl XLVI at Lucas Oil Stadium on February 5, 2012 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Photo by Al Bello/Getty Images) 
EAST RUTHERFORD, NEW JERSEY – DECEMBER 02: Eli Manning #10 of the New York Giants runs off the field after his teams 30-27 win over the Chicago Bears at MetLife Stadium on December 02, 2018 in East Rutherford, New Jersey. (Photo by Sarah Stier/Getty Images) 
EAST RUTHERFORD, NJ – OCTOBER 11: Eli Manning #10 of the New York Giants scrambles before fumbling the ball from a hit by Michael Bennett #77 of the Philadelphia Eagles during the first quarter at MetLife Stadium on October 11, 2018 in East Rutherford, New Jersey. Nate Solder #76 of the New York Giants recovered the fumble on the 1 yard line. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images)
Manning replaced Hall of Famer Kurt Warner as the starter for then-new coach Tom Coughlin after nine games. They won the NFC East the following season.
Within three seasons, the Giants won their first NFL championship since the 1990 season and Manning got his first Super Bowl MVP award, knocking off the previously unbeaten New England Patriots. The second came after the 2011 season when Manning and company again beat Tom Brady, Bill Belichick and the Pats.
In both games, Manning hit a clutch late pass on game-winning drives. He and David Tyree hooked up on the helmet catch in the first one and he found Mario Manningham on sideline go pattern in the second, igniting an 88-yard drive.
“Eli Manning not only is the quarterback on those great teams, but he is the MVP of the Super Bowls,” Coughlin said. “He’s an incredible big- game performer. You talk about a guy that’s great to coach, focused every day, took tremendous pride in preparing, practice, had a great sense of humor, was a cynic in the locker room. But the guys loved him and they loved him for it, and they played for him. The guys that had the opportunity to play with him know what it’s like to be with a guy with as much talent, as much grit, as much determination.”
Manning was the only player in Giants history to play 16 seasons. His 236 regular-season games (234 starts) and 248 total games are team records.
From Nov. 21, 2004 through Nov. 23, 2017, Manning started 210 consecutive regular-season games, then the second-longest streak by a quarterback in NFL history (to Brett Favre’s 297). After sitting out one game, he started the next 22 in a row, giving him 232 starts in 233 games — plus 12 postseason games. Manning never missed a game because of injury.
Manning is sixth in NFL history with 8,119 attempts and seventh with 4,895 completions, 57,023 yards and 366 touchdown passes. He also has the franchise’s highest career completion rate (60.29 percent). He was selected to four Pro Bowls.
Manning started the first two games of the recently concluded season before recently fired coach Pat Shurmur replaced him with Jones, the No. 6 pick overall in the draft. He started two more games in December after Jones sprained an ankle and led the Giants to a win over Miami in his final start at MetLife Stadium.
Off the field, Manning has donated his time to many charitable events. He was the co-recipient of the Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year Award in 2016 with Larry Fitzgerald of the Arizona Cardinals.
During the Super Bowl week, Manning will be presented with the 2020 Athletes in Action/Bart Starr Award for serving as a positive role model to his family, teammates and community.
Manning is one of just five players in NFL history to win multiple Super Bowl MVP awards, joined by Brady, Joe Montana, Terry Bradshaw and Starr. Manning is one of 21 quarterbacks to win a Super Bowl without losing one and one of 12 to win at least two Super Bowls.
In the 2004 draft, the Giants picked fourth and selected quarterback Philip Rivers. Accorsi sent Rivers, their third-round choice in 2004 (No. 65 overall), and first and fifth-round picks in the 2005 draft to the Chargers for Manning.
It was the game-changing deal for the Giants.
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