Listen: Mike Francesa Eviscerates Ben McAdoo for Benching Eli Manning For Geno Smith
Renowned New York City radio host Mike Francesa did not hold back in ripping Giants head coach Ben McAdoo for benching Eli Manning in favor of Geno Smith for the last five games of the season.
The Giants are 2–9 heading into Sunday's game against the Oakland Raiders. Manning has started 210 consecutive regular season games for the Giants. He was given the option of starting this weekend to extend his streak but decided to let the other quarterbacks play.
Francesa, who will broadcast his last show on WFAN on Dec. 15, treated his listeners to one his best rants of 2017.
Here are some of the more notable quotes from Francesa's takedown:
• "Geno Smith is not a running quarterback. Is he more mobile than Eli? Well a tree is. OK. We understand that. That is not Eli's strength."
• "McAdoo's career is worthless. Jerry Reese's career is built on Eli Manning. His success in those two games is why Jerry Reese has got a career. He doesn't have a career by what he's drafted here. He's got a career because he won two Super Bowls won by Eli Manning, who went on the road and won all those playoff games and who won the Super Bowl MVP twice by beating the Patriots. Without that Jerry Reese is unemployed. Without that, none of those guys walk around that room with the swagger that they have. It's built on his back! And you're going to try and tell us that you have a better chance to win a game with Geno Smith over Eli Manning? Offensive line or no offensive line? That is your answer?"
• "This is a desperate move by a desperate guy who is clinging...And the fact that John Mara has not separated himself from this fool is hard to believe."
• "We haven't seen a game plan from this guy all year. Since he's been the head coach, the Giants haven't scored 30 points ever."
• "You can't run this clown out of town fast enough. The worst thing that's ever happened is that Eli Manning had to be associated with you as head coach with the career he's had here. Maybe on your way out, you can take a look at Eli's rings. That's the closest you'll ever get to one too....with actions like this you're going to try to tell us that Geno Smith is the answer?!"
Listen to Francesa's highlights here. A longer clip has been posted above (Francesa on McAdoo begins at the 9:00 mark)
Francesa also said that the Giants should release Manning and see how quick he may land in Jacksonville, where he could be reunited with his former coach Tom Coughlin, who is now the executive vice president of football operations for the Jacksonville Jaguars.
Francesa says that he will request for Manning and Smith on his show next week on Monday.
