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“NFL–Changing of the Guard”

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The most important position in the NFL, the quarterback, is about to begin the passing of the baton after all these years of watching these guys passing for lots of touchdowns.

In what might be the most unique year of NFL free agency, a record number of star quarterbacks are going on the open market.

Philip Rivers, Tom Brady, Drew Brees headline a list of eight veteran QBs who will be on the free agent open market come March 1st.

One who will not is Eli Manning.  In a somewhat surprise move, he has just retired, electing not to change teams, but to go out with 2-Super Bowl rings and a host of memories, most of them favorable with the New York Giants.

A career that began with him refusing to play for the San Diego Chargers, forcing a trade, that turned out to be win-win for both teams, he went to the Giants, in the deal that sent Philip Rivers to the Bolts.

Both reached superstar status, Manning’s capped by the wild Super Bowl wins he engineered twice, both come from behind victories over the Patriots.

He finishes up a career with a strange (117-117) record, though he was (8-4) in postseason games, an amazing mark.  He concluded th career in Giant colors with (366TD-244Int).

He was tough, competitive, fiery, resilient, and classy, even in the wake of getting benched this year when the Giants decided they had to play rookie QB-Daniel Jones in a learning curve season.

Manning could be headed to retirement, alongside his brother Peyton, the legendary Colt-Bronco, or he could be headed to a front office job as an Assistant GM.

Now we wait to see who is the next to leave, though retirement does not seem to be the sentiment of Chargers QB-Philip Rivers, the Saints-Drew Brees, the iconic Patriots QB-Tom Brady. or the Steelers-Ben Roethlisberger.

All but Rivers have Super Bowl rings, and it is doubtful Rivers will ever have that opportunity considering the state of the LA Chargers.

The first one, Manning, stepped off the merry-go-round.  Now we we wait to see who is next.

He was very good.  And as much hatred as there is in San Diego for the Manning Family, the Eli-Rivers trade turned out to be ‘win-win’ for both, even if the Giants traded away a lot of talent in the twilight years of his New York career, and the the fact the Chargers front office failed to put enough good people around Rivers, who never go to a Super Bowl.

Superstars are not forever.  Giants fans should remember the great days they had, for they would never have happened had it not been for Eli Manning.

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