Eli Manning, the longtime quarterback of the NFL’s New York Giants, announced his retirement on January 24, ending an illustrious 16-year career in which he won two Super Bowls and established a new Giants record for games played with 236. He ranks seventh all-time in league history in pass completions (4,895), passing yards (57,023), and touchdown passes (366).
Despite his accolades, there's plenty of debate surrounding Manning's Pro Football Hall of Fame credentials. Hall of Fame quarterback Kurt Warner and ESPN analyst Stephen A. Smith believe there's a case to be made against his inclusion due to his inconsistency in the regular season, whereas several other Hall of Fame inductees believe his two Super Bowls and longevity is enough to warrant his induction. Should he be inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame one day, Manning will join these four other ex-Giants:
Michael Strahan
Image by Walt Disney Television | Flickr
Inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2014, Michael Strahan spent his entire 15-year career with the Giants and won a Super Bowl with the team in 2007, his final year in the league. The four-time All-Pro defensive end accumulated 854 tackles, 141.5 quarterback sacks, 24 forced fumbles, and 15 fumble recoveries through 216 career regular season games. He also had four interceptions, two of which were returned for a touchdown. He was named Associated Press (AP) Defensive Player of the Year in 2001 after leading the league in tackles for loss (24), sacks (22.5), and forced fumbles (six).
An alumnus of Texas Southern University, Strahan was selected by the Giants in the second round of the 1993 NFL Draft. Despite his impressive career, he didn't necessarily have lofty goals when he entered the league: "I never would have imagined being in one place for so long, one team, and having a career," he told Newsday in 2019. "I never thought any of that stuff. I was just trying to survive, man, trying not to be a disappointment, trying not to be a bust."
He has been just as successful outside of football. Strahan has been a host on Fox NFL Sunday since 2008 and has concurrently served as host of Good Morning America since 2016. He also hosts and produces The $100,000 Pyramid game show and is executive producer of CNBC's Back in the Game.
Bill Parcels
Although he also served as head coach of the Dallas Cowboys, New York Jets, and New England Patriots, Bill Parcells is best remembered for his successful eight-year tenure as head coach of the New York Giants. He assumed the role in 1983 and was tasked with leading a franchise that had just one winning season in the past decade back to respectability. He exceeded those expectations.
The Giants finished the 1983 season with a record of 3-12-1, but made the playoffs the following two seasons and were eliminated by the eventual Super Bowl champions in both years. The team finished the 1986 season with a 14-2 record and defeated the Denver Broncos in the Super Bowl. Parcells guided the Giants to its second Super Bowl in four years in 1990, which culminated in the team’s 20-19 victory over the Buffalo Bills. He last coached in 2006 with the Cowboys and was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2013.
Lawrence Taylor
Image courtesy simplistic.designs | Flickr
Like Strahan, Lawrence Taylor spent his entire career with the Giants. The linebacker was selected by the team second overall in the 1981 NFL Draft and played 184 games before retiring in 1993. He played in 10 Pro Bowls, was a three-time AP Defensive Player of the Year, and was named NFL MVP in 1986. Taylor led the league in sacks that year with 20.5. He concluded his career with 132.5 sacks, 11 fumble recoveries, and nine interceptions.
In celebration of the NFL's 100th anniversary, USA TODAY compiled a list of the league's 100 greatest players in October 2019. Taylor was ranked No. 3, behind only quarterback Tom Brady and wide receiver Jerry Rice. No other linebacker was listed among the top 10.
Fran Tarkenton
One of three Giants quarterbacks to be inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame, Fran Tarkenton played for New York from 1967 to 1971, during which time he recorded 103 touchdowns and 72 interceptions in addition to 13,905 passing yards. However, Tarkenton is best known for his years with the Minnesota Vikings.
The Richmond, Virginia, native played for the Vikings from 1961 to 1966 and again from 1972 to 1978. Although he never won a Super Bowl, he led all quarterbacks in pass completions in 1975, 1976, and 1978 and was named MVP in 1975. He also played in nine Pro Bowls and was listed at No. 92 among the top 100 players in league history by USA TODAY. Benny Friedman (1929-31) and Y.A. Tittle (1961-64) are the only two other quarterbacks who played with the Giants to be inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.