Brett Favre on Eli Manning: 'He's still got a lot of football left'
The Giants' Eli Manning plays during the first half against the Philadelphia Eagles on Dec. 9, 2019. Credit: AP/Michael Perez
Brett Favre, who built his Hall of Fame resume with the Packers and then played for two teams after he left Green Bay, thinks Eli Manning could have the same kind of second act success elsewhere when his tenure with the Giants comes to an end.
"I think he’s still got a lot of football left in an age where they protect the quarterback the way they do and offenses are a lot more prolific,” Favre said on Tuesday during his weekly spot on SiriusXM’s NFL Radio. “I think he could be huge for another team if he so chooses.”
Manning is in the last year of his contract with the Giants and is the backup quarterback behind rookie Daniel Jones. But Manning did start on Monday against the Eagles with Jones sidelined from an ankle injury, and he could start again this week against the Dolphins. While Manning threw two touchdown passes in the first half in Philadelphia, the offense managed just 29 yards and no points in the second half and overtime of the loss.
“I was pleased to see that,” Favre said of Manning’s start on Monday night. “I think a lot of Eli. I think his body of work speaks for itself. He’s handled a lot of criticism over the years with class. He’s won two Super Bowls there. Sure beat me in our championship game at our place and played outstanding really those last eight games of that season. Couldn’t have played any better and capped it off with a wonderful Super Bowl win.”
Those moments, indelible no doubt, did take place more than a decade ago. It’s been a while since Manning and the Giants – together or separately -- have been at that level.
Still, Favre was like the many who enjoyed getting what almost certainly will be one of their last looks at Manning in a Giants uniform on Monday.
“I was really pleased to see him get a shot to go back out,” he said.
Tom Rock began covering sports for Newsday in 1996 and became its NFL columnist in 2022. He previously was Newsday's Giants beat writer beginning in 2008.
