Happy New Year 2025

Tag: Eli

Eli Manning’s ex-Giants teammate upset over QB’s Hall of Fame snub

One of Eli Manning’s former New York Giants teammates, cornerback Prince Amukamara, is not happy that his former teammate did not make the Pro Football Hall of Fame last week.

“Snubbed dude, come on man!” Amukamara exclaimed to TMZ Sports.

“And it’s crazy because before he retired, that’s always been the argument right: is he a first ballot Hall of Famer?”

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New York Giants former quarterback Eli Manning prepares to throw out the first pitch before the game between the New York Yankees and the Toronto Blue Jays at Yankee Stadium. (Vincent Carchietta-USA Today Sports)

Amukamara was Manning’s teammate for five seasons, from 2011-2015, and started all four playoff games in the Giants Super Bowl run in 2011.

“All I know is two-time Super Bowl MVP, beat everybody’s GOAT, never missed a down, never missed a play, never missed a game… He’ll get in next time,” Amukamara said.

Manning’s candidacy for the Pro Hall of Fame has been hotly debated among fans.

Manning is a four-time Pro Bowler and two-time Super Bowl MVP. He is 11th all-time in passing yards and touchdown passes thrown.

He was as durable as they come, starting 210 consecutive games, a streak that only ended because he was benched and not due to injury.

JARED ALLEN, ANTONIO GATES HEADLINE PRO FOOTBALL HALL OF FAME CLASS OF 2025

New York Giants quarterback Eli Manning talks to former teammate Prince Amukamara, of the Chicago Bears, after their game on Sunday, Dec. 2, 2018, in East Rutherford, New Jersey. (IMAGN)

On the other hand, Manning finished with a career 117-117 record and has 244 career interceptions, good for 12th most all-time.

Amukamara did say that those who were elected were deserving of the honor.

Jared Allen, Antonio Gates, Sterling Sharpe and Eric Allen were the four players who will be enshrined in Canton this year.

While Amukamara thought Manning was a snub, he said the same about former Carolina Panthers star linebacker Luke Kuechly.

PRO FOOTBALL HALL OF FAME SNUBS DRAW STRONG SOCIAL MEDIA REACTION: ‘WHAT A JOKE’

New York Giants cornerback Prince Amukamara gets tackled by Buffalo Bills running back Cierre Wood at Ralph Wilson Stadium. (Timothy T. Ludwig-USA Today Sports)

Kuechly only played for eight seasons but was undoubtedly one of the best linebackers in the sport. He won Defensive Rookie of the Year, won Defensive Player of the year in 2013, was a seven-time Pro-Bowler and five-time All-Pro. He led the NFL in tackles twice in his career.

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Chicago Bears cornerback Prince Amukamara warms up for the New York Giants game at MetLife Stadium. (Vincent Carchietta-USA Today Sports)

Amukamara joked he didn’t want to say anything that would get him snubbed from the Hall. He had a decent nine-year career with the Giants, Jacksonville Jaguars and Chicago Bears, but he will not be making the Hall of Fame.

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Ryan Canfield is a digital production assistant for Fox News Digital.

February 13, 2025
Eli Manning wins ‘Kick of Destiny’ in rather unconvincing fashion after Peyton’s doink

The third edition of FanDuel’s “Kick of Destiny” was back on Sunday, but it featured new faces in this go-round.

After Rob Gronkowski’s leg determined whether fans would receive a share of millions in bonus bets, this time, it was Peyton and Eli Manning’s turns.

The older brother Peyton was up first for a 25-yard kick, and his first attempt hooked left and never came close.

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A FanDuel advertisement featuring images of Peyton Manning and Eli Manning on the Entergy building. (Kirby Lee-Imagn Images)

Eli then just needed to make his kick for the victory, but somehow, he managed to miss worse than his brother, coming up way short.

Peyton had a chance for redemption, this time from just 20 yards out. However, he doinked it off the right upright.

The New York Giants legend lined up for his 20-yarder as chants of “Eli” rang from the crowd, and it was, as Giants announcer Bob Papa would say, true blue.

Eli drilled the kick right down the middle with plenty to spare.

“This feels unbelievable. We earned this moment. I was grinding, been working so hard, and finally, to be a kicker, it just feels right,” Manning said, adding that he pulled a muscle in the competition.

Eli Manning attends Michael Rubin’s Fanatics Super Bowl party on Saturday, Feb. 8, 2025, in New Orleans. (Amy Harris/Invision/AP)

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FanDuel users were able to select who would win between the two; those who bet on Eli will now receive a share of $10 million in bonus bets.

Stream Super Bowl LIX coverage on Tubi for free. (Tubi)

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Eli may have come up short of making the Pro Football Hall of Fame earlier this week, but this sure is a nice consolation prize.

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February 9, 2025
Eli Manning leads singing of ‘God Bless America’ at restaurant during Super Bowl week

Eli Manning didn’t let the Pro Football Hall of Fame snub dampen his spirits during Super Bowl week in New Orleans.

The New York Giants legend was seen at a restaurant in New Orleans leading a rendition of “God Bless America.” Cooper Manning, Eli’s brother, started the song and everybody at the restaurant got involved, according to the New York Post.

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Eli Manning attends Michael Rubin’s Fanatics Super Bowl party on Saturday, Feb. 8, 2025, in New Orleans. (Amy Harris/Invision/AP)

The Mannings are from New Orleans and have had a big week aside from the Hall of Fame announcement. Children’s Hospital New Orleans was renamed after the Manning family and they celebrated at the Louisiana Legacy Gala earlier in the week.

Eli and Cooper’s father, Archie, and their mother, Olivia, were given the first Louisiana Legacy Award for their commitment to the well-being of children and their families across the state and the country.

“I can speak on behalf of my entire family. It’s very hard to put into words,” Archie Manning said at the event. “To have a hospital named after you, this is not like making second-team All-SEC or anything like that. We just have such admiration for this hospital and the people and the leadership. For them to do this for our family, it’s one of the greatest things that’s happened in my life.”

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New York Giants former quarterback Eli Manning on the field before a game against the Cincinnati Bengals at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey, Oct. 13, 2024. (Brad Penner-Imagn Images)

Archie said the hospital honor beats all of his football accomplishments.

“I think it was in 2007, we dedicated Peyton Manning Children’s Hospital in Indianapolis. And, in 2009, I think it was, we dedicated Eli Manning Children’s Clinics in Jackson, Mississippi. After both of those events, I told my sons that this is your finest hour, and I meant that. Football, in Peyton’s case, they’d just won a Super Bowl, and then Eli. I said, ‘What’s going on here is your finest hour.’

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Stream Super Bowl LIX coverage on Tubi for free. (Tubi)

“Without a doubt, I can say this happening tonight and renaming this hospital is our family’s finest hour, and we’re very appreciative.”

Fox News’ Scott Thompson contributed to this report.

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Ryan Gaydos is a senior editor for Fox News Digital.

February 9, 2025
Hall of Fame voter says Eli Manning discussion was one of ‘most contentious’ ever among committee

Eli Manning came up short of Pro Football Hall of Fame induction on Thursday night, and as a matter of fact, he wasn’t particularly close.

Manning was not inside the top 10 of voting for this year’s class, which features just four players: Jared Allen, Eric Allen, Antonio Gates and Sterling Sharpe.

The New York Giants legend has been a polarizing figure for the Hall of Fame, even well before he retired. On the one hand, he was never an All-Pro or got an MVP vote. On the other hand, he’s responsible for two of the greatest Super Bowl drives of all time, and he ranks 11th all time in passing yards and touchdowns.

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Giants quarterback Eli Manning warms up as the New York Giants face the Dallas Cowboys at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, on Sunday, September 8, 2013. (Ron Jenkins/Fort Worth Star-Telegram/Tribune News Service via Getty Images)

So, when the committee met, Hall of Fame voter Gary Myers and another New York-based voter made their case, and Myers said the battles are hot.

“I’ve been on the committee for 15 years. Other than the Terrell Owens conversation that we had for three years, this was the most contentious discussion that I’ve been a part of,” Myers said Friday on ESPN New York’s “DiPietro and Rothenberg.”

“I knew there was going to be some anti-Eli sentiment . . . but I was really surprised at the amount of criticism and degrading his accomplishments that went on in that room.”

That criticism, Myers said, was apparent hypocrisy from the other voters.

“What they said, that the Giants defense won those two Super Bowls, but Eli was responsible for only having a .500 record. Voters wanted it both ways. They didn’t want to give Eli credit for beating the Patriots twice in the Super Bowl and having those two-minute drives. They wanted to put it all on the defense. But then, they wanted to say the reason he was 117-117 was because of him, not because it was a team game,” added Myers.

Eli Manning after being named MVP after Super Bowl XLVI in Indianapolis, February 5, 2012. (IMAGN)

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“My point was, you can’t wait away the credit for the Super Bowls but put the blame of the record on him. . . . To make it seem like the Giants go into those games with a shutdown defense and that Eli was along for the ride, I thought was really wrong.”

Myers also pointed to the fact that Plaxico Burress, who caught the Super Bowl XLII winning touchdown, shot himself in the leg the following season while Big Blue was threatening to go back-to-back with an 11-1 start. They lost in the divisional round that year. He also tried to argue that the front office decisions later in Manning’s career were not beneficial to the quarterback at all.

“His career would’ve looked a lot more differently if he got more support from his teammates, and more importantly, his front office,” Myers quipped.

Myers said he compared Manning to Warren Moon and Dan Fouts, who went 102-101 and 86-84-1, respectively, with zero Super Bowl appearances (Moon never even made a conference title game) and worse counting stats than Manning, mostly across the board, yet were inducted on the first ballot.

“His numbers are superior, and throw in he won two Super Bowl MVPs . . . then what are we doing here?”

Super Bowl LIX will be streamed on Tubi. (Tubi)

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It will be tougher for Manning to get in next season. The new rules state that only five people can be elected per year. Drew Brees, Larry Fitzgerald, Jason Witten and other ex-stars are eligible next year, all while Manning will have to beat out finalists from this year, including Luke Keuchly and Adam Vinatieri.

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February 7, 2025
Arch Manning says Peyton and Eli gave him wedgies and bullied him to make him tougher

Texas Longhorns quarterback Arch Manning has the privilege of coming from one of the most respected families in football, but he has also had to pay his dues along the way.

The 19-year-old phenom, who is set to finally take over as a starter in the 2025 season, said he has been bullied by his famous uncles, Peyton and Eli, and they have even given him wedgies.

“Back in the day, Eli and Peyton used to kind of bully me, so it was good, give wedgies and stuff like that,” Arch said during an interview with ESPN on Thursday. “You just gotta make the younger guy tough. My brother and I, we went through it a little bit, it was good.”

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Texas Longhorns quarterback Arch Manning, #16, throws a touchdown pass during the second half against the Texas-San Antonio Roadrunners at Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium. (Scott Wachter-Imagn Images)

As the nephew of Peyton and Eli, and the son of their brother Cooper, Arch is expected to carry on the famed Manning mantle in the NFL. With that also comes the burden of carrying the Manning family mantle of sibling bullying, including wedgies.

Peyton shared a story of how Eli gave him a wedgie while on a golf trip, during a segment on ESPN’s “Manningcast” in December 2022.

“I was trying to take a nap, and I was in a corner bed, and he came up behind me, he kind of had me leveraged into the wall, and he gave me a wedgie, he almost went atomic with it,” Peyton said.

Eli insisted, “it was atomic.” An atomic wedgie is classified as one in which a person’s underwear is pulled above the victim’s head or higher.

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Arch Manning #16 of the Texas Longhorns arrives prior to the game against the Colorado State Rams at Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium on August 31, 2024 in Austin, Texas. (Tim Warner/Getty Images)

“I was about to be asleep, I was so angry, basically, because the nap was interrupted, but the atomic wedgie was like an added bonus,” Peyton continued. “He was so proud, we almost threw down, but I was in pain and I couldn’t fight to well.”

Eli added that he ripped Peyton’s favorite underwear in the incident.

Meanwhile, Eli has, on multiple occasions, described the harsh treatment Peyton instilled on him when the two brothers were growing up in Louisiana.

Prior to playing in Super Bowl XLVI in early 2012, Eli shared the story of how Peyton would pin him to the floor and give him intense football trivia challenges.

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New York Giants former quarterback Eli Manning on the field before a game against the Cincinnati Bengals at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey, on Oct. 13, 2024. (Brad Penner-Imagn Images)

“I probably have quite a few of them, but to limit it to one — his most popular move, he would pin me down and take his knuckles and knock on my chest and make me name the 12 schools in the SEC (Southeastern Conference). I didn’t know them all at the time, but I quickly learned them. It was a great learning technique. I don’t suggest anyone else try it out, but it definitely made me learn the schools of the SEC,” Eli told reporters.

“Once I figured those out, he moved on. There were 28 teams in the NFL at that point, so all teams in the NFL. I had to get my studying on for that. Then once I figured that out – the one I never got was the 10 brands of cigarettes. When he really wanted to torture me and knew I had no shot of ever getting it, that’s when I just started screaming for my mom or dad to come save me, or maybe Cooper. That was his go-to move.”

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Jackson Thompson is a sports writer for Fox News Digital. He previously worked for ESPN and Business Insider. Jackson has covered the Super Bowl and NBA Finals, and has interviewed iconic figures Usain Bolt, Rob Gronkowski, Jerry Rice, Troy Aikman, Mike Trout, David Ortiz and Roger Clemens.

January 31, 2025
Eli Manning says Peyton Manning trying to ‘steal’ 2025 Pro Bowl playbook

For the third consecutive year, the Manning brothers will return as head coaches and go head-to-head in an action-packed Pro Bowl weekend, featuring star offensive and defensive players from the AFC and NFC.

Peyton Manning, two-time Super Bowl champion and arguably one of the greatest quarterbacks of all time, will coach the AFC. Eli Manning, two-time Super Bowl champion who infamously beat Tom Brady to win both games, will coach the 2025 Pro Bowl’s NFC team.

“Peyton kind of keeps trying to steal my strategies,” Eli told Fox News Digital. “He keeps trying to steal my playbook.”

NFL LEGEND ELI MANNING REVEALS BOURBON PARTNERSHIP WITH KNOB CREEK AHEAD OF SUPER BOWL IN NEW ORLEANS

Former NFL players Peyton Manning, left, and Eli Manning are going head-to-head for a third consecutive year as head coaches for the 2025 Pro Bowl between the AFC and the NFC. (Harry How/Getty Images)

Last year, Eli’s NFC squad triumphed against Peyton’s AFC roundup in a final 64-59.

In 2023, Eli beat Peyton 35-33.

“It’s been a lot of fun coaching the Pro Bowl these last two years,” Eli said. “Especially beating Peyton these last two years.”

The sibling rivalry is clearly alive and well in the Manning family, as Eli pointed the finger at Peyton for lacking the necessary skills to beat him, especially with regard to the game’s skills challenges.

“He didn’t think about, and he didn’t really worry about, the skill challenges last year,” Eli told Fox News Digital. “He was all worried about the playbook and the X’s and O’s on the field where we just dominated him in the skills.

BILL BELICHICK BACKS ELI MANNING’S HALL OF FAME PURSUIT

“Peyton’s not good at dodgeball. Peyton’s not good at ping pong. He’s not good at pool,” Eli said. “All he did was play football growing up, so he never learned any other skill. He didn’t know how to coach the players in some of those skills.”

Eli touted his superior past of playing tug-of-war as one of his many advantages against his brother.

“I almost went pro in tug-of-war years ago,” Eli said.

The youngest Manning brother added that Peyton’s preparation includes studying and consulting with experts for the skills challenges, a relay race and dodgeball, among others.

“I’ve just got to really rely on my instincts and, in my experience, playing flag football,” Eli said of his own strategy.

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Former NFL Superbowl-winning quarterbacks Peyton Manning and Eli Manning, right, talk prior to the SEC Championship game between the LSU Tigers and the Georgia Bulldogs at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on Dec. 3, 2022 in Atlanta. (Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)

Above all else, Eli said he is excited to arrive in Orlando, Florida, and celebrate a season of successful football.

“That’s what this is all about,” he said. “All of these guys had unbelievable seasons.”

Travis Kelce, Josh Allen, Joe Burrow, Myles Garrett, Cameron Heyward and Joe Thuney are among the AFC team’s headliners who earned their spot on the roster.

Jared Goff, Kyle Juszczyk, George Kittle, Lane Johnson, Nick Bosa and Justin Jefferson are among the NFC athletes set to deliver a riveting flag-football performance on Sunday, Feb. 2, at Camping World Stadium in Orlando.

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“I watch these guys every Sunday competing on the AFC and NFC side,” Eli said. “To get to know them a bit, to get to hang out with them and see their personalities off the field is what I look forward to the most.”

In partnership with Knob Creek, Eli launched a single barrel bourbon, Eli Manning’s 2025 Bold Pick, just in time for the Pro Bowl and Super Bowl LIX.

“I got to go down to Kentucky and hand pick this bourbon,” Eli told Fox News Digital.

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Gabriele Regalbuto is a Senior Editor of SEO at Fox News Digital. Gabriele has a Journalism and Communications degree from West Virginia University. She has worked to produce content for newspapers, magazines, and digital platforms. At Fox, she has assisted in coverage of breaking news events including the 2024 presidential cycle, 2022 midterm elections, Queen Elizabeth II’s death, the ongoing war between Russia and Ukraine.

January 25, 2025
Eli Manning reveals Knob Creek partnership ahead of Super Bowl

Eli Manning, two-time Super Bowl champion, is going up against his brother, former NFL quarterback Peyton Manning, as head coaches of the Pro Bowl again in 2025. The former NY Giants quarterback dove into his winning strategy with FOX Business.

NFL legend and former New York Giants quarterback Eli Manning has teamed up with Kentucky straight bourbon whiskey brand Knob Creek to offer Super Bowl fans a limited-edition bottle ahead of game day on Feb. 9.

Manning, opposite Knob Creek’s master distillers Fred Noe and Freddie Noe, personally selected Eli Manning’s 2025 Bold Pick, a single barrel bourbon.

“I got to go down to Kentucky and handpick this bourbon,” Manning told FOX Business.

PEYTON, ELI MANNING LAUNCH PREMIUM BOURBON SWEETENS COVE AT $200 A BOTTLE

Two-time Super Bowl champion Eli Manning partnered with Knob Creek to release a limited-edition bottle of bourbon. (Knob Creek / Fox News)

However, the whiskey aisle in your local stores will probably be bare of this booze as the release is exclusive to locations special to the Super Bowl champion himself — the New York Metro area where Manning played professionally, his hometown of New Orleans and sports hub Los Angeles.

The youngest Manning brother expressed his pleasure in collaborating with the Noe father-and-son duo to craft a unique flavor while diving deep into the history of the brand.

“It was an unbelievable experience,” Manning said.

Bold Pick is said to taste of toffee, honey, dark stone fruit with hints of dark chocolate and finish with spicy cinnamon, black pepper, brown sugar and espresso.

ELI MANNING SHARES HIS DAD’S FUNNY TEXTING HABIT IN SOCIAL MEDIA POST

Manning traveled to Kentucky to work alongside master distillers Fred and Freddie Noe to hand select Bold Pick. (Knob Creek / Fox News)

“It’s just perfect for celebrating the big moments and wins in your life,” Manning said.

Frigid weather conditions in the South, Midwest and East and Sunday football are the perfect excuse to stay inside and sip Bold Pick on the rocks, according to Manning.

Manning’s Bold Pick is “patiently aged for a minimum of nine years in American white oak barrels,” according to a Knob Creek press release provided to FOX Business.

The suggested retail price is $59.99.

Manning, with his older brother and former NFL quarterback Peyton Manning, will return to the action-packed Pro Bowl as head coach again this year.

“It’s been a lot of fun coaching the Pro Bowl these last two years,” Manning said. “Especially beating Peyton these last two years.”

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Eli Manning’s 2025 Bold Pick is a single barrel bourbon by Knob Creek. (Knob Creek / Fox News)

The two-time Super Bowl champion will coach the NFC contingent, while Peyton will team up with the AFC, aiming to end Eli’s winning streak on Feb. 2, a week before Super Bowl LIX.

“I know Peyton’s been studying,” Manning said. “He’s brought in experts on all these skills challenges to try to get some extra information.”

As for the Super Bowl, the Manning family will be together in New Orleans on game day, where they will stay with their parents.

“I don’t even have to get a hotel,” Manning said. “We’ll probably be on Bourbon Street, so it’s a good opportunity to drink a little Knob’s Creek bourbon as well.”

January 23, 2025