Eli Manning recalls advice he received from Yankees legend Derek Jeter

During a recent chat with Steve Serby of the New York Post, New York Giants legend Eli Manning recalled advice he received during his rookie NFL season from then-New York Yankees captain Derek Jeter.

"He just said, 'Keep grinding, keep working hard every day,'" Manning said about the conversation he had with Jeter back in 2004. "'Everybody goes through the struggles. Don’t let the media, don’t let anybody, get to you, just keep working hard. I promise you it’ll get easier. Don’t get discouraged after just a few weeks of doing this.'"

Jeter made his big league Yankees debut during the 1995 campaign and possessed four World Series rings when the Giants landed Manning during the 2004 NFL Draft. 

Manning experienced numerous ups and downs across his first four pro regular seasons and even heard boos during some home games before he guided Big Blue to a shocking Super Bowl XLII victory over the previously unbeaten New England Patriots in February 2008.

"I remember watching some of his press conferences after games, and even after he had great games or great things happened, always giving credit to his teammates, being positive, and even after bad games, kinda taking the heat, taking the blame, never making excuses, never throwing another guy under the bus," Manning said about Jeter.

While Jeter retired as a five-time World Series champion, Manning claimed his second Super Bowl ring when he helped the Giants defeat the Patriots in Super Bowl XLVI. 

The two-time Super Bowl Most Valuable Player now widely regarded as the greatest quarterback in Giants history praised Jeter as "an awesome role model" for an athlete thrust into the Big Apple spotlight at a young age.

"In New York, it’s harder," Manning explained. "You can get asked the same question over and over again, and [Jeter] never got tired of giving his answer. He never got discouraged, he never got annoyed, he always seemed polite. … He never changed his demeanor, he never changed his attitude and always showed up to play and loved playing the game and treating everybody with respect."

Jeter and Manning gave fans a plethora of memorable on-the-field moments during their careers but also served as examples of how modern athletes should handle things as the face of a New York franchise. 

It's worth noting that neither the Yankees nor the Giants have won a championship since the two iconic players rode off into the sunset of retirement.