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Eli Manning famously worked his way out of a situation with the then-San Diego Chargers and found himself playing his entire NFL career with the New York Giants.
The move in 2004 changed the trajectory of both franchises. The Chargers traded Manning to the Giants for Philip Rivers. The Giants would go on to win two Super Bowl titles with Manning under center while the Chargers haven’t been to a Super Bowl since the 1994 season.
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Eli Manning holds up a San Diego Chargers jersey after being selected first overall by the Chargers and then traded to the New York Giants during the 2004 NFL Draft at Madison Square Garden in New York City on April 24, 2004. (Chris Trotman/Getty Images)
Manning opened up about why he decided to wriggle his way out from the Chargers. He would have gone to a team coming off a 4-12 season under head coach Marty Schottenheimer. He likely would have sat behind Drew Brees and Doug Flutie instead of getting a chance to show what he had with the Giants as he was thrust into the QB1 role over Kurt Warner.
“I just didn’t feel like they were the most committed team to winning at the time,” he said in an episode of “Bussin’ with the Boys.” “Marty Schottenheimer was the head coach, who was awesome. Had great respect for him. But they came to work me out in New Orleans, went to dinner and there was just friction between the head coach, general manager (A.J. Smith), the owners (Spanos family). They are all yelling — kind of like fighting.
New York Giants quarterback Eli Manning stands in the tunnel before the game against the San Diego Chargers at Qualcomm Stadium in San Diego, Calif., on Dec. 8, 2013. (Christopher Hanewinckel/USA TODAY Sports)
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“We are at a Marriott restaurant. Schottenheimer’s mad like, ‘We’re in New Orleans and we’re eating at a Marriott?’ He’s like pissed. They are kind of bickering. It just didn’t seem there was a lot of agreement on things and they were committed to building a great winning franchise at that moment.”
Manning said his parents didn’t support the idea of trying to avoid being drafted by the Chargers, but allowed him to do what he wanted to do.
Manning was a four-time Pro Bowler and two-time Super Bowl MVP with the Giants. He led a takedown of the undefeated Tom Brady-led New England Patriots in one of the bigger Super Bowl shockers in NFL history.
Quarterback Eli Manning of the New York Giants poses with the Vince Lombardi Trophy after the Giants defeated the Patriots 21-17 in Super Bowl XLVI at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, Ind., on Feb. 5, 2012. (Rob Carr/Getty Images)
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He finished with 366 touchdown passes and 57,023 passing yards. He sits 11th all time in touchdown passes and passing yards. He’s still waiting to hear his name called for the Pro Football Hall of Fame.