New York Giants By the Numbers: Eli Manning Has Plenty of Time to Prove Hall of Fame Worth

Monday, February 13, 2012

NewYorkGiants.com

By Russell S. Baxter
Featured NFL Writer

Since winning a second NFL championship as well as a second Most Valuable Player award for his performance against the Patriots in Super Bowl XLVI, the talk has gone from is Giants’ quarterback Eli Manning elite to is he headed to the Pro Football Hall of Fame?

Whoa.

In an era where we're quick to slap the dynasty label on a team after three or four years or the all time great tag on a player that’s only midway through his career, let’s take some time to appreciate what Tom Coughlin’s team has done this season, which is rally from a 7-7 record after 14 games to run the table and grab another league title.

Of course, Manning has a lot to do with that. His 2011 postseason run saw him thrown nine touchdown passes and just one interception (the team’s only turnover during their four-game playoff run). His 4,933 passing yards during the regular season were the most ever by a player during a Super Bowl championship season. And all of this just one season after leading the NFL in interceptions (25) and turnovers (30).

We also forget that the Giants had failed to reach the playoffs both in 2009 (8-8) and 2010 (10-6), the latter even more astounding considering New York’s latest Super season came via a 9-7 regular-season mark.

But back to Manning for a moment.

The fact that he’s led the Giants to a pair of Super Bowl titles in the last five seasons is a terrific jumping-off point but we may only be halfway through his career. And championships are only part of the story of a Hall of Fame resume. In some instances, they’re not a part of them at all.

We all know that Dan Marino, Warren Moon and Dan Fouts just to name a few, are quarterbacks that are a part of pro football history who did not win a Super Bowl. Marino appeared in just one while both Moon and Fouts never reached the NFL’s big game (although Moon led the Edmonton Eskimos to five straight Grey Cup titles in the CFL).

Performers such as running back Barry Sanders also never reached the Super Bowl but is there any denying his greatness? And if you need a more recent reminder, the five modern-day members of the Pro Football Hall of Fame Class of 2012 (center Dermontti Dawson, defensive end Chris Doleman, defensive tackle Cortez Kennedy, running back Curtis Martin and tackle Willie Roaf) will receive their busts in August but none ever won an NFL title.

Now Manning not only has a pair of Super Bowl titles (one of 11 quarterbacks in history to win at least 2 Super Bowls) but being a two-time MVP of this game puts him in even rarer company. He has joined the likes of Joe Montana (three), Bart Starr (two), Terry Bradshaw (two) and Tom Brady (two), the first three already enshrined in Canton and the former likely headed there due his body of work through 12 seasons.

With the exception of Brady, Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger (both obviously still active) and Raiders quarterback Jim Plunkett (who was MVP of Super Bowl XV and also led the club to a win in XVIII), the likes of Troy Aikman, John Elway, Bob Griese and Roger Staubach have also taken their rightful place in the Hall. Of course, all of these men had long and distinguished careers, as did Jim Kelly (0-4) and Fran Tarkenton (0-3) who failed to win titles but were game-changers in their own right.

There you have it, long and distinguished, which is really the key when you’re talking Hall of Fame. It’s outstanding performance over a sustained period of time. Given his 2011 performance, the sky could be the limit for Manning whether he wins another championship or not. Of course, his 8-3 postseason record as a starter is outstanding but is also somewhat hit or miss, all eight of the victories came in the 2007 and 2011 postseasons, while the 2005, 2006 and 2008 seasons ended with the club’s first playoff game that January.

But Manning is also the current active leader in terms of consecutive starts by a quarterback and throwing for 4,000 or more yards is becoming an annual event.

So will we see Manning’s bust in the Hall one day? It should happen if he continues to evolve into one of the game’s great quarterbacks, but let the Giants’ signal-caller enjoy his trip to Disney World before you rush him to Canton, Ohio.


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