Eli Manning, Derek Jeter reminisce about Jeter's 2004 call to Manning

As two New York sports icons got together for a recent conversation, Derek Jeter turned to Eli Manning and asked, “How long have you been doing this show?” 

“One year,” Manning replied. “So, it’s Year 2 doing the show.”

“Year 2,” Jeter mused, “and I finally get an invitation. So, thank you.” 

(That reply is vintage Jeter.) 

And so began the newest episode of "The Eli Manning Show," an engaging   conversation between two of New York's all-time greats that is available on Giants YouTube channel on Thursday morning.

As they spoke, Manning recalled the first time Jeter called him — in his rookie year of 2004, after he posted a 0.0 quarterback rating against the Ravens. 

“A zero quarterback rating,” Manning said. “That would be like going 0-for-5 and hitting into five double plays.” 

Said Jeter: “I’ve done it.” 

(There is no actual evidence that Jeter ever did that. But this was a conversation between friends.) 

“You said to keep grinding, keep working, that New York is a tough place,” Manning recalled. “It meant a lot to me. You were the role model. You were where you want to get to, the Derek Jeter level . . . So, thank you. I appreciated that phone call.” 

“Of course,” Jeter said. “I figured I’d call you after the zero QBR because the only way you could go is up. If I’m going to be responsible for anything, it’ll be the good game.” 

Jeter told Manning that he learned a lot from Darryl Strawberry about adjusting to the New York stage.  

“And I wanted to be there for the next athlete.  I’d been where you were,” Jeter said. “I struggled. Everyone struggles here.” 

In the early days of their friendship — and after the 0.0 rating — Jeter invited Manning to his charity golf event in Florida. Manning recalled his trip to the course.  

“I’m on a bus to the tournament with Wayne Gretzky, Michael Jordan and Reggie Jackson.” Eli remembered thinking, “I think I’m on the wrong bus.” 

“You were definitely on the right bus,” Jeter said in the episode. “You might not have known it at the time.” 

Back then, Manning took notes from Jeter interviews, believing he was watching the master on how to handle the New York media.  

Manning made a habit of always being accountable with reporters after losses. Even in a long baseball season, Jeter seldom left the clubhouse without talking after a loss.

These days, Jeter and Manning are much closer to peers. Jeter is 48, Eli 41. Fellow champions, Jeter won five World Series titles and Manning won two Super Bowls.
Manning said he found Jeter to be “extremely humble,” which did not surprise him. 

The two also have seven young children between them; Manning has three girls and a boy, Jeter has three girls.   

“I’d never seen that side of him,” Manning said. “Talking about his family, he almost gets choked up a little bit. Talking about his three girls. Kinda a different side of Derek Jeter I had not seen. I don’t know how many people have, so that was interesting.”

The idea of "The Eli Manning Show" came from Giants chief business officer Pete Guelli, whose goal was to use Manning "in different roles, episodic content with him at the forefront."

Manning, for his part, has embraced his post-career media presence. In fact, the week he retired, Manning told his marketing team that he did not want to get into broadcasting or call games. “If something comes up,” he recalled saying, “don’t even bother me because I’m not doing it.” 

Eventually, his view softened, mostly because his show is largely unscripted and it was an opportunity to work with his close friend and former teammate Shaun O'Hara, who is his regular co-host.

“I could do something where things just came naturally,” Manning said. “You want it more unscripted.” 

We have seen that before from Manning, and it usually turns out just fine.

By Kimberly Jones

kimberly.jones@newsday.comkimjonessports

Kimberly Jones covers the Giants for Newsday, a beat she first worked in the early 2000s before joining the YES Network to cover the Yankees. She worked for the NFL Network for more than a decade and has been heard semi-regularly on WFAN.