N.Y. Giants: Eli Manning's Swan Song Begins at Dallas

From the desk of: DO IT FOR THE DUKE

No Matter What Happens This Season, 

Eli Will Always Be the Mann

Cue the music ... Eli Manning's swan song begins now.

One way or another this is the end, right?  The only lingering question is how exactly does this go down.

Most relationships with few exceptions almost never end amicably.  This is especially true in football.  Look no further than Phil Simms.  After leading the Giants to the 1993 playoffs, the front office called him into the office and cut him.

It's a ruthless business.  And very few people understands this better than former NFL quarterback of the New Orleans Saints; father of two Hall of Fame caliber quarterbacks; and de facto representative for his sons; Archie Manning.  I can name three NFL owners he squeezed by the pigskins.  Lest we forget what happened to the Chargers when they originally drafted Eli Manning.  If I'm Archie, yeah, I hold Jerry Reese largely responsible for ruining the latter part of my son's New York Giants career.  I'm sure Archie is just as amazed as us fans that in all Eli's years he never missed a game to injury.  In fact the only thing that ever came between Eli and great feats of consistency and durability were the Giants themselves.  Make no mistake, both Archie and Eli took the Geno Smith BenchGate fiasco personally.  It is why I say with great confidence since that day Archie has been orchestrating Eli's exit from the Giants and the NFL on his own terms.  He will not tolerate having his son disrespected, again.  That means exactly what you think it means: Archie > Mara.  Therein lies my conspiracy theory if Eli starts the entire season.

The more sensible scenario is Eli plays as long as the Giants remain viable playoff contenders.  But that, like the U.S. constitution, is a matter open for wide ranging interpretation.  Parity is lay of the NFL landscape, which is to say .500 teams these days make viable wild card contenders.  Are we being led to believe if the Giants are 4-4 at the midway point that Eli remains in play?  How would a 3-5 record sway opinion?  What if the Giants are 3-5 but the Eagles and/or Cowboys also falter with 4-4 records respectively?

I know one thing and one thing only about Daniel Jones: he was the Giants first round selection in the 2019 draft.  Otherwise, he's been performing against the dregs of training camp left trying to win positions, most of whom were likely cut when rosters were paired down to 53-players.  But I also know that at some point the Giants must transition away from Eli Manning.  That's just the way it works.

My hope is he goes out in a blaze of glory.  But history, and the pitiful state of the Giants defense, may dictate otherwise.  Imperfect as Eli is, he is still the greatest quarterback in Giants history, and I'm grateful to have witnessed his career.

He'll always be Mr. Freeze to me ...