Eli Manning has the numbers to warrant place in Hall of Fame

Giants star Eli Manning announced his retirement last week, sparking a debate over whether he should be a 'Hall of Famer'. Picture: Steven Ryan/Getty Images

The seven-time pro-bowler – not bad when you consider he had an eight-year career – surprised the world of football when he announced that he was stepping away from the gridiron. Kuechly mentioned that as much as he loved playing the game, he was “not sure if I’m able to do that anymore”.

It is becoming something of a worrying trend these days with Colts quarterback Andrew Luck doing the same before the season while, in recent years, Calvin Johnson, Rob Gronkowski and Patrick Willis all retired before turning 31 and cited the physical rigours of the game.

Another who announced his retirement last week was Giants quarterback Eli Manning. Manning, the third in the legendary family to hang up his cleats after older brother Peyton and father Archie, decided after a season that saw him benched in week three before being briefly restored for weeks 14 and 15, was not the way he would have wanted to go out.

As always with retirement, the conversation turns to legacy, and the question “Is he a Hall of Famer?”. The column inches have been well and truly filled over the last five days, as have the airwaves and social media channels, with a debate of will he make the cut?

A key factor in the debate has been Eli’s brother Peyton, who is due to be eligible for the Hall of Fame in 2021 and is considered a shoo-in. Peyton played 13 of his 18 seasons as an Indianapolis Colt before missing a year with a neck injury and then moving on to the Denver Broncos.

Everybody agrees that Peyton Manning should be a no-doubt Hall of Famer when his name is on the ballot next year, and the statistics seem to back that up. According to Pro Football reference statistics, Peyton’s Weighted Career Approximate Value puts him as the No 1 ranked player ever, one point ahead of Tom Brady. In the same ranking, Eli is ranked a respectable 41st.

Both brothers have won two Super Bowls, and both have been much praised for their presence off the field. On a statistical front, Peyton is streets ahead with his passing yards, touchdowns as well as completion percentage, but he’s streets ahead of lots of people in those areas.

The real decider for people seems to be the player’s personalities. Peyton has always been funny, smart-mouthed and likeable, whereas Eli has often been pictured as surly and sullen faced, so much so he was oft the go-to person for internet memes.

But reports from within the Giants organisation paint a very different picture. One phrase that used  was “humorous and dry-witted, and he has some mischievousness to him.”

Others talk about how helpful he has been throughout their careers, branching from equipment managers to wide receiver’s they all have something glowing to say about the non-public Eli.

What really matters here is the whole player and Eli Manning has the numbers. Manning has given us some of the greatest memories from modern Super Bowls from the lob to Plaxico Burress with 30 seconds left in Super Bowl XLII to the side-line pass to Mario Manningham in Super Bowl XLVI – and he deserves his place in the Hall of Fame, if for nothing else than as Tom Brady put it, “If it wasn’t for Eli, I’d have eight Super Bowl rings”.

This Sunday saw the annual back pat known as the Pro Bowl that is taken by the players with as much seriousness as most NFL Fans – Kirk Cousins was seen leaving a nightclub at Disney World in the small hours of Saturday night. The game itself was a high-scoring affair as defence became a secondary factor. The AFC ran out 38-33 winners after a strong second quarter, but the NFC all-stars made it enjoyable bringing the game within a score. The highlight of the game will be the 96 yard interception returned for a touchdown by the NFC. The pass caught initially by Harrison Smith was passed laterally to Defensive lineman Fletcher Cox who ran  61 yards to score.