Why NY Giants Legend Eli Manning is Not Sweating Latest Hall of Fame Snub

Eli Manning threw 64 interceptions through his first 55 NFL starts. He then helped the New York Giants vanquish the undefeated New England Patriots to win their first Super Bowl in almost 30 years.

The pocket-passing quarterback then tossed 25 picks in a single campaign. The following year, he put together one of the greatest postseason performances ever en route to another Big Blue title win.

Simply put, Manning knows what it is like to push past adversity and emerge victorious. If he obsessed over his mistakes, New York would be in the midst of an unbearably long championship drought. The Giants legend is keeping the same mindset after once again being omitted from the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

“It doesn’t keep me up at night," Manning told Super Bowl-winning head coach Jon Gruden on the Gruden Goes Long podcast, per Peter Botte of the New York Post. "I’m not going to be bitter at it. I’m not bitter at the game of football.“

The two-time Super Bowl MVP was one of 15 modern-era finalists vying for enshrinement in Canton, Ohio, but, for a second year in a row, he was denied his bust. A .500 career regular-season record, 244 interceptions, and 60.3 completion percentage are likely sticking points for voters.

Even so, Manning's playoff track record is immortalized in NFL lore. He is also the all-time leader in passing yards and TDs for one of the sport's oldest franchises. No. 10 is due to get his gold jacket eventually. In the meantime, he is viewing his football experience through a positive lens.

"I loved my teammates, I loved the relationships, the friendships, the championships, the parades," Eli Manning said. "When I think about football, I think about touchdowns, and my buddies, and wins, and plane rides home.

"I don’t think about the interceptions. I don’t think about the bad stuff. If I ever get in the Pro Football Hall of Fame, I’ll take it as a positive and I’m not going to think about the years I had to wait to get in.”

Eli Manning will get his day in Canton

Eli Manning, QB - 2004-2019 New York Giants | (Times as a Semifinalist: 2 - 2025-26 ) | Robert Deutsch / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Manning has the healthy mindset every retired great should have about their potential HOF candidacy. It can be excruciating to spend endless time worrying about such things.

The first overall pick in the 2004 NFL Draft knows the legacy he left behind in the Meadowlands. He will forever be beloved by Giants fans. Manning's eye for the moment and invaluable durability serve as the benchmark for all subsequent Big Blue QBs, including fellow Ole Miss alum Jaxson Dart.

Sign up for our free newsletter and follow us on Facebook and X for the latest news and send your mailbag questions to us.

Adrian Peterson, Rob Gronkowski, and Ben Roethlisberger will all debut on the 2027 HOF ballot, so there is no guarantee that Manning will be inducted on his third try. Fortunately, he has plenty to keep himself busy.

The successful media personality will stay close to the game through ESPN's ManningCast and his other endeavors, as he continues to make the most out of his post-playing career. When the call for the Hall does finally come, he should rejoice, not exhale.

Even while he patiently waits to gain entry into this dwelling of gridiron warriors, one cannot tell the story of football without mentioning Eli Manning's iconic throws to both David Tyree and Mario Manningham.

His place in NFL history is secure, and the same will one day be said about his place in the Hall of Fame.