Eli Manning to Reportedly Retire From NFL in Friday Press Conference

Eli Manning received the New York Giants send-off he wanted, and that's apparently enough for him.

While the Ole Miss product and NFL veteran could receive interest as a backup on a competitor this offseason, his days as a reliable NFL starter are long behind him. That's why, according to ESPN, he's hanging up his cleats this Friday.

Eli Manning will hold a news conference Friday to announce his retirement, sources tell @JordanRaanan and me.
— Dan Graziano (@DanGrazianoESPN) January 22, 2020

Manning is a likely Hall of Famer, not only because of his namesake, but due to the two memorable Super Bowl runs he led the Giants on. Peyton's younger brother's numbers match up against the best of his era, and his 2004 QB Draft class will go down as one of the best in NFL history, featuring Manning, Ben Roethlisberger and Philip Rivers.

The 39-year-old Manning was phased out of the Giants offense early this season, as management and coaching alike needed to see what they had in Daniel Jones, who's been deemed Eli's successor, given his potential and high draft slot.

Eli Manning told reporters that being a backup this season to rookie Daniel Jones was "no fun." He also said, "I doubt it," when asked whether he would consider playing for another team as a backup next season.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) December 30, 2019

Even in the waning days of his NFL career, Manning was always a professional, mentoring Jones and even starting a game or two when the Duke product was on the mend. In many ways, Eli was a true professional, and he'll always be a fan favorite among fans of Big Blue.

Two of the greatest throws ever authored in Super Bowl history came from his right arm. That can't be forgotten.