Is Eli Manning a Hall of Famer? That question is going to give Pro Football Hall of Fame voters’ sleepless nights in the coming months.
The former New York Giants quarterback did win two Super Bowls against Tom Brady and the New England Patriots, including ending their undefeated season in Super Bowl 42. Manning was named Super Bowl MVP twice, accumulated over 57,000 passing yards during his career, and threw 366 touchdowns.
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However, Manning was not considered one of the best quarterbacks during his time in the league. He never received a single regular season MVP vote during his career, he led the league in interceptions three times, and he finished his career with a 117-117 record.
Because of that, don’t expect ESPN NFL writer Bill Barnwell to lead the charge for Manning’s election to the Hall of Fame. During Thursday’s appearance on “Around the Horn,” Barnwell said he believes Manning will get elected, but he’s not a Hall of Fame player in the end.
“Eli Manning was never close to being considered the best quarterback in football in any point during his career. I struggle to find a year he would even be considered a top-five quarterback in all of football,” explained Barnwell. “The only thing Eli Manning led the NFL in any point of his career is interceptions, which he led three different times as a pro.”
Barnwell added, “I understand he’s an important person in football history, but being an important person does not make you a Hall of Famer.”
Manning must get 80 percent of the vote to get elected. There are 15 other first-time nominees for the 2025 class, including Luke Kuechly, Terrell Suggs, and Adam Vinatieri.
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