The Final Chapter of the Book of Eli

Eli Manning shall wear the uniform of the New York Giants for the final time this afternoon, when the Men of Mara Tech complete their latest forgettable season in a meaningless (for them) game against the Philadelphia Eagles.  Barring a lopsided score one way or the other or an injury to starting quarterback Daniel Jones, it is reasonable to anticipate that Mr. Manning shall not play any meaningful minutes today.  In fact, he may not take even a single snap from center. 

While he has not asked for my input, and I do not expect that he shall, I hope that since today marks the end of his career as a player for the Giants, it also marks the end of his NFL career.  He is an individual who has represented himself, his family, his team, the community in which he plays, and his profession with dignity since entering the NFL out of Ole Miss in the 2004 draft.  I would prefer not to turn on my television set at some point next fall and see him wearing the uniform of a team other than the Giants.  As a New York Yankees fan, it made me happy that certain of my favorite Bombers, including Bernie Williams, Jorge Posada, Mariano Rivera, and Derek Jeter, played their entire MLB career in pinstripes.  As a New York Giants fan, I was happy that players for whom I cheered, such as LT, Phil Simms, and the great Harry Carson, never played for a team other than Big Blue.   

Regardless of whether the Giants win or lose today and regardless of whether #10 sees the field at Met Life Stadium one final time, I believe that he shall be long-remembered and well-remembered by the Giants and by the fans.  I do not pretend to know whether the Hall of Fame awaits him.  I do know that he has always been an impossibly easy player for whom to cheer, even when his performance and his team's performance has not been.  

ESPN.com has a beautiful piece of writing by Ian O'Connor, which I commend to your attention, in which O'Connor examines the relationship between Eli Manning and his teammates and, also, between Eli Manning and New York City.  

I suspect that both the men with whom he has played and the city in which he has played will miss him a great deal.  I also suspect that he shall miss them every bit as much. 

-AK