Eli Manning announces his retirement from NFL after 16 years; Giants and fans pay tribute

New York Giants quarterback Eli Manning announced his retirement on Wednesday, ending a 16-year career in the NFL. The 39-year-old led the Giants to two Super Bowl titles, winning the Super Bowl MVP in each of those games. Giants released a statement announcing his decision to retire and to notify that he would hold his last press conference as a Giants player on Friday.

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Eli Manning's career moments

Eli Manning spent his entire pro career with the New York Giants, having been drafted by the Giants in the 2004 NFL Draft. The quarterback is undoubtedly one of the best players to ever play for the Giants. He made an astonishing 210 consecutive regular-season starts from his rookie season in 2004 until 2017. He is the only player in franchise history to play for 16 seasons and his 236 regular-season games (234 starts) and 248 total games are both Giants records. A four-time Pro Bowl, Eli Manning registered 366 touchdowns and 244 interceptions and completed over 57000 passing yards in his career. 

However, Eli Manning etched his name in Giants history books when he ended their 17-year wait for a Super Bowl in 2007 before helping them win it again in 2011. During those two title runs, Manning led the team to an 8-0 record. Despite being undroppable for the better part of the decade, Manning lost his place to rookie quarterback Daniel Jones this season. He started 4 games this campaign and registered 6 touchdowns, albeit failing to inspire the Giants to the playoffs. 

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New York Giants President Josh Mara praised the retiring star stating that Eli Manning defined his Giants career with his astute character on and off the field. According to Mara, Manning is the best player in Giants history. Manning's former coach Tom Coughlin also paid a tribute to the 39-year-old, praising his work ethic and professionalism for 16 long years.  

Social media react to Eli Manning's retirement announcement

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