Eli Manning unfazed by no contract extension yet from Giants
Eli Manning of the Giants throws a pass against the Philadelphia Eagles at MetLife Stadium on Sunday, Dec. 28, 2014 in East Rutherford, N.J. Credit: Jim McIsaac
The Giants know that when the game is on the line in the final minutes, they can turn to Eli Manning to be a source of serenity, calm and coolness. So it really shouldn't be a surprise that the quarterback is just as unruffled about heading into the final year of his contract as he would be heading out for the final drive of a game.
Manning's contract with the team expires at the end of the upcoming season, and he confirmed Sunday that there have been no conversations with the Giants about an extension. He does not see that as an insult or a sign that his future with the Giants is nebulous, though. He just, well, sees it.
"I've known a lot of people who have gone into their last year -- my brother went into the last year of his contract twice -- and that's just part of it," said Manning, the celebrity chairman for the annual March of Dimes March for Babies in New York City. "I look at it as, hey, I signed a six-year contract [extension in 2009] and I never once mentioned the contract to them or anything, or tried to get extended. I'm going to play out those six years and hopefully my play and the success of the team will dictate the future of me being in New York."
While everyone wants a bigger payday, Manning isn't exactly plodding through this season with empty pockets. His $17 million for 2015 is the second-highest base salary in the NFL. By the time his current contract with the Giants expires, he'll have earned more than $167 million in 12 seasons.
"I haven't made a big deal about it and I've never made a big issue about contracts," Manning said. "It's not something I'm going to argue about or bring up to make a fuss about."
