Rise to Success: Career Highlights of Eli Manning

Discover the career path of Eli Manning, from the first major opportunity to industry-changing achievements.

Eli Manning, a former NFL quarterback, played 16 seasons for the New York Giants. Coming from a prominent football family (son of Archie, brother of Peyton), he played college football at Ole Miss, earning awards like the Maxwell and Johnny Unitas Golden Arm. Drafted first overall by the San Diego Chargers in 2004, he was immediately traded to the Giants, where he spent his entire professional career.

Sections (3)

Full Timeline Career & Achievements Success & Recognition

1971: First 10-Win Season Since 1971

In 2003, Eli Manning helped lead Ole Miss to their first ten-win season since 1971.

2003: Cotton Bowl Classic Victory

In 2003, Eli Manning led the Ole Miss Rebels to a 31-28 victory over #21 Oklahoma State in the SBC Cotton Bowl Classic. He passed for 259 yards and two touchdowns.

2003: Chargers' Poor Record

In 2003, The San Diego Chargers had a 4-12 record which led to them receiving the first overall pick in the 2004 NFL draft.

November 21, 2004: First Career Start

On November 21, 2004, Eli Manning made his first career regular season start against the Atlanta Falcons at Giants Stadium, throwing his first career touchdown.

December 12, 2004: Benched Against the Ravens

On December 12, 2004, Eli Manning was benched during the game against the Baltimore Ravens due to a poor performance.

2004: Warner Leaves and Manning Named Starter

Following the 2004 season, Kurt Warner left the Giants and Eli Manning was named the starting quarterback for the 2005 season.

2004: Giants Starting Quarterback

In 2004, Eli Manning became the starting quarterback for the New York Giants.

2004: NFL Draft Class of 2004

In 2004, Eli Manning was part of a notable NFL draft class that included Philip Rivers and Ben Roethlisberger, drawing comparisons to the 1983 draft.

2004: Drafted into the NFL

In 2004, Eli Manning was selected first overall in the NFL draft by the San Diego Chargers, and subsequently traded to the New York Giants.

2004: Trade to the New York Giants

In 2004, despite being drafted by the Chargers, Eli Manning was traded to the New York Giants in exchange for Philip Rivers and draft picks. He then signed a six-year, $45 million contract with the Giants.

2004: Selected First Overall in NFL Draft

In 2004, the San Diego Chargers had the first overall pick in the NFL draft and selected Eli Manning, leading to controversy.

September 25, 2005: First Game in San Diego

On September 25, 2005, Eli Manning played his first game in San Diego since the draft, facing boos from Chargers fans. Despite the Giants losing, Manning had an impressive performance with 352 passing yards and two touchdowns.

2005: Draft Pick Trade

In 2005, draft picks were used as part of the trade that sent Eli Manning to the New York Giants.

October 28, 2007: Giants defeat Dolphins in London

On October 28, 2007, Eli Manning and the Giants played against the Miami Dolphins in London's Wembley Stadium, marking the first NFL regular season game outside of North America. Manning threw for only 59 yards, but scored the Giants' sole touchdown with a 10-yard run, contributing to the Giants' 13-10 victory.

2007: Campaign to raise money for children's clinics

In 2007, after touring the University of Mississippi Medical Center's Blair E. Batson Hospital for Children, Eli Manning began a five-year campaign to raise US$2.5 million for the construction of "The Eli Manning Children's Clinics" at the children's hospital.

January 6, 2008: Giants defeat Buccaneers in Wild Card Round

On January 6, 2008, Eli Manning led the underdog Giants to a 24-14 victory over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the Wild Card Round. Manning completed 20 of 27 passes for 185 yards and threw two touchdown passes.

January 13, 2008: Giants upset Cowboys in Divisional Round

On January 13, 2008, Eli Manning led the Giants to an upset victory over the Dallas Cowboys in the Divisional Round. Manning completed 12 of 18 passes for 163 yards and two touchdowns. The Giants became the first team since 1990 to defeat an NFC number one seed in the Divisional Round.

January 20, 2008: Giants secure Super Bowl XLII berth

On January 20, 2008, the Giants beat the Green Bay Packers in overtime in the NFC Championship, with a score of 23–20. This dramatic victory secured Manning and the Giants a trip to Super Bowl XLII. This marked the first Super Bowl appearance for the New York Giants since 2001.

2008: Giants open 2008 season with a win over Washington Redskins

In 2008, Manning and the Giants started the season with a 16-7 win over the Washington Redskins. Manning completed 19 passes for 216 yards and had one rushing touchdown and one interception. He expressed excitement about the season's opening.

2008: Manning wins Super Bowl MVP and chooses Cadillac Escalade Hybrid

In 2008, after winning Super Bowl MVP, Eli Manning was given his choice of any 2008 model Cadillac. He chose an Escalade Hybrid. He also appeared on the Late Show with David Letterman.

2008: Host of Guiding Eyes for the Blind's Golf Classic

Since 2008, Eli Manning has been the host of Guiding Eyes for the Blind's Golf Classic, which is the oldest and largest charity golf event in Westchester County, New York.

August 5, 2009: Manning signs a six-year contract extension

On August 5, 2009, Eli Manning signed a six-year US$97.5 million contract extension with the New York Giants.

2009: Giants lose final game at Giants Stadium

In 2009, Eli Manning and the Giants lost 41-9 against the Carolina Panthers in the final game at Giants Stadium. They also lost the final regular season game against the Minnesota Vikings, finishing the season with an 8-8 record and missing the playoffs. Manning apologized to the fans for the team's poor performance.

2009: Manning achieves career highs in 2009 season

In 2009, Eli Manning ended the season with career highs including 4,021 passing yards, 27 touchdowns, a 62.3 completion percentage rating, and a passer rating of 93.1.

2009: Co-Authoring of "Family Huddle"

In 2009, Eli, Peyton, and Archie Manning co-authored a children's book entitled, Family Huddle, which describes in simple text and pictures how the three Manning brothers played football as kids.

Family Huddle

Check it on Amazon

2009: Manning injures heel, posts perfect passer rating

In 2009, during Week 4 against the Kansas City Chiefs, Eli Manning injured his heel but stayed in to complete a 54-yard touchdown pass. In Week 5, he posted a perfect passer rating, a first in his career, in a 44-7 win against the Oakland Raiders.

2010: Fundraising for Deepwater Horizon oil spill awareness

In 2010, Eli Manning helped raise funds for awareness of the Deepwater Horizon oil spill, following the catastrophe.

2010: Manning throws career-high interceptions in 2010 season

In 2010, Eli Manning led the Giants to a 10-6 record but missed the playoffs due to the Packers' victory. He finished the season with 4,002 yards and a career-high 31 touchdowns but also threw a career-high 25 interceptions, marking the most in the 2010 season.

2011: Giants secure second Super Bowl trip in five years

In 2011, Eli Manning and the Giants secured a second Super Bowl trip in five years by defeating the Atlanta Falcons, the Green Bay Packers, and the San Francisco 49ers in the playoffs. The Giants avenged their regular season loss to the San Francisco 49ers with a dramatic 20–17 overtime win in the NFC Championship Game. Manning set franchise playoff records with 32 completions on 52 attempts, good enough for 316 yards and two touchdowns despite being sacked a franchise-record-tying six times.

2011: Playoff Berth Since Last Super Bowl

In 2011, The Giants got their first playoff berth since the 2011 season, when the team last won the Super Bowl.

2011: Giants win NFC East and secure playoff berth

In 2011, after a 6-2 start, the Giants faced a tough stretch but finished strong, winning three of their last four games. Manning led the Giants to win the NFC East title and a playoff berth, throwing for 346 yards and three touchdowns in the final regular-season game against the Dallas Cowboys. He also tied an NFL record by completing a 99-yard touchdown pass to Victor Cruz. He earned a Pro Bowl nomination for his performance in the 2011 season.

2011: Giants open season with loss on 9/11 anniversary

In 2011, the Giants opened the season with a 28-14 loss to the Washington Redskins on the 10th anniversary of the September 11 attacks. However, they recovered and won their next three games. Manning was named NFC Offensive Player of the Week after throwing for 254 passing yards and four touchdowns against the Philadelphia Eagles.

May 5, 2012: Hosting NBC's Saturday Night Live

On May 5, 2012, Eli Manning hosted NBC's Saturday Night Live (season 37, episode 20), with musical guest, Rihanna.

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2012: 2012 Season

In 2012, Eli Manning led the Giants to a 6-2 start, but his performance declined in the later weeks. He finished the season strong with a career-high five touchdown passes against the Philadelphia Eagles. He ended the year with 26 touchdown passes, 15 interceptions, and 3,948 passing yards and was selected to his third Pro Bowl as a second alternate.

2013: 2013 Season

In 2013, Eli Manning started the season with 450 passing yards but suffered a loss to the Cowboys. He fell to 0-3 against his brother Peyton, throwing a career-high five interceptions in a game against the Seattle Seahawks. He ended the season with a career-high 27 interceptions, and the Giants finished with a 7-9 record.

2015: Career Highs in 2015 Season

In 2015, Eli Manning finished the season with career highs in touchdown passes (35), completions (387), attempts (618), and passer rating (93.6).

2016: 2012–2016 Phase

During the 2012-2016 phase, Manning was well-protected by his offensive line, being sacked just 19 times, a league-lowest 3.4% of passing plays.

2016: Participation in BTIG Commissions for Charity Day

In 2016, Eli Manning participated in the 14th Annual BTIG Commissions for Charity Day, which was a fundraiser for hundreds of charities.

2017: 2017 Season

In 2017, Eli Manning and the Giants started the season with five consecutive losses. Manning reached 50,000 passing yards during Week 9. In November, he was benched, ending his streak of 210 consecutive starts, but was later renamed the starter in December. He passed John Elway on the NFL's all-time passing yard list. The Giants ended the season with a 3-13 record.

2018: 2018 Season

In 2018, Eli Manning led the Giants to a 5-11 season, passing for 4,299 yards, 21 touchdowns, and 11 interceptions.

September 17, 2019: Manning Not Starting Week 3 Game

On September 17, 2019, the Giants announced that Eli Manning would not start the Week 3 game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, opting for Daniel Jones instead.

2019: End of Giants Career

In 2019, Eli Manning's tenure as the starting quarterback for the New York Giants ended.

2019: 2019 Season

In 2019, The Giants decided to keep Eli Manning on their roster, but they selected Daniel Jones in the first round of the draft as Manning's successor. The team stated that Eli would be their quarterback and that he needed to keep Jones off the field by winning games.

January 22, 2020: Retirement Announcement

On January 22, 2020, Eli Manning announced his retirement from the NFL.

2020: Appointment to Board of Directors for Guiding Eyes for the Blind

In 2020, Eli Manning was appointed to the Board of Directors for Guiding Eyes for the Blind.

2021: Hosting "The Eli Manning Show"

In 2021, Eli Manning began hosting The Eli Manning Show on the New York Giant's YouTube channel. The show features interviews with celebrity guests.

2021: ESPN NFL Analyst

In 2021, Eli Manning joined ESPN as an NFL analyst, co-hosting the "Manningcast" with his brother Peyton. He also hosts "Eli's Places" on ESPN+.

2022: Undercover Participation in Penn State University Football Tryouts and Emmy Nomination

In 2022, Eli Manning went undercover as "Chad Powers" and participated in Penn State University football tryouts as a walk-on, which was filmed as part of an ESPN project. In the same year, he was nominated for a Sports Emmy, under the category of Outstanding Personality/Emerging On-Air Talent.