With Super Bowl Sunday just a day away and the who’s who of the sports and entertainment world gathered in New Orleans, the NFL Honors was truly the second leg of Super Bowl week following media day, which took place on Tuesday.
Some of the NFL’s legendary players were hoping to hear their names called as part of the next Hall of Fame class to be enshrined later this summer in Canton, Ohio.
While some of the names that were elected weren’t really a surprise, like Antonio Gates, Jared Allen and Eric Allen, the last name called was and it went to former Green Bay Packers wide receiver Sterling Sharpe the older brother Hall of Famer tight end turned media personality Shannon Sharpe. Sterling’s induction will make he and the aforementioned Shannon the first set of siblings to be immortalized in Canton, something most predicted to be Peyton and Eli Manning.
Eli Manning Says He At Peace After Being Passed Over
Manning, who’s become a hit on ESPN along with his more famous brother Peyton, spoke with the NFL Network’s “Good Morning Football” on Friday morning and had nothing but good things to say about the four guys chosen.
“I’m excited for those guys that got in. All of them are so deserving. Happy for them. I texted a few of them, the guys that I knew, and just congratulated them,” Manning said.
“I had a feeling it wasn’t going to be my night, and I understand that. And I’m totally at peace. It’s not going to change my outlook of my career and how I feel about it,” he added.
Sounds like Eli didn’t expect to hear his name called, while most did. His two Super Bowl wins over Bill Belichick, Tom Brady and the New England Patriots are a rallying cry to put him in, but it was to no avail this time around.
Case Against Manning Is Valid
Even with the two Super Sunday wins over Brady, which he often refers to when Brady, a seven-time Super Bowl winner, is mentioned, Manning’s got some red flags that didn’t help his cause in being a first-ballot guy. Throughout his care he was never considered the best at his position at no point in his career, and both Super Bowl wins came on the heels of getting hot at the right time.
He finished his 16-year career all with the Giants with a .500 record (117-117) as a starter. His eight playoff wins came in those seasons where the Giants entered as wild cards both times, winning four games in succession each time. He made four Pro Bowls, which accounts for just 25 percent of his career.
Numbers Don’t Scream Gold Jacket
Manning didn’t even finish his career with a 2:1 touchdown (366) to interceptions (244) ratio along with over 57,000 yards. In a passing era that amounts to about 22 touchdowns and 15 interceptions per season, along with roughly 3,500 yards passing.
Not exactly Canton-worthy numbers id that’s all we based greatness on, but he does have two jokers in hand, the two wins over the Patriots dynasty. The first coming in 2007 and thwarting a perfect (19-0) season, which would’ve been just the second in league history after the 1972 Miami Dolphins (17-0). The second in 2011 once again denied Brady and Belichick their fourth ring at the time.
His time is coming, but this decision was the right one for now.
