New York Giants legend Eli Manning was passed over for the Pro Football Hall of Fame in his first year of eligibility and now feels further away from immortalization than he was just 24 hours ago.
Not only was Manning snubbed, but he failed to crack the top 10 in voting.
Per @daringantt (https://t.co/1AVVyjinlc), Eli Manning didn’t make the cut when the class of finalists was cut from 15 to 10. https://t.co/jsZm7cfo5W
— Giants Videos (@SNYGiants) February 7, 2025
However preposterous that may seem, it’s a sad indictment of what could be to come. Manning likely stood a better chance at enshrinement in 2025 than he’ll have over the next several years.
Manning was the only quarterback among the 2025 finalists and will now face a flurry of incoming QB talent, including Drew Brees and Philip Rivers in 2026, Ben Roethlisberger and Cam Newton in 2027, and Tom Brady and Matt Ryan in 2028.
Aaron Rodgers will also be a shoo-in Hall of Famer five years after his retirement.
The logjam will only worsen as other all-time greats come up for enshrinement. Outside of the quarterback position, we’ll see Adrian Peterson, Frank Gore, Larry Fitzgerald, Jason Witten, J.J. Watt, and Aaron Donald become eligible over the next several years.
This does not bode well for Manning or his candidacy if voters didn’t even view him as top 10 in a weaker class.
And it’s not a Michael Strahan situation where he’s snubbed in Year 1 and enshrined in Year 2. Manning is now looking down the road at a long wait — potentially five to six years before he’s considered the top eligible quarterback.
The irony is that Manning carved out his Hall of Fame career by besting the likes of Rodgers, Ryan, and Brady in the biggest games. He has more Super Bowl victories and Super Bowl MVPs than any of the other upcoming candidates, and has had greater postseason success than any of them not named Brady.
But it doesn’t look like Manning will get the Troy Aikman treatment. The bar has been raised for him, and he now faces more scrutiny and competition than any other Hall of Fame quarterback who has come before him.
It may take time, but Manning will eventually topple that giant, too. And in the end, he’ll find his rightful place in Canton.
