HOF wait could grow even longer for former Giants QB Eli Manning after second straight snub

Former New York Giants quarterback Eli Manning won't be booking a trip to Canton as soon as he had hoped. 

On Wednesday, a report revealed Manning wasn't elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame for a second straight year. He needed 40 of the 50 votes to make it into the HOF. It would be, perhaps, the most controversial snub if it weren't for the Bill Belichick mess. 

Manning was already a borderline HOF candidate before being passed on again. The upcoming classes feature even more talent at QB, meaning he could be in for a longer wait. 

Why Eli Manning may not make the HOF soon 

Former Pittsburgh Steelers QB Ben Roethlisberger is eligible for the HOF in 2027. Ex-New England Patriots/Tampa Bay Buccaneers QB Tom Brady, meanwhile, will be on the ballot for the first time in 2028. 

Roethlisberger, a two-time Super Bowl champion like Manning, may not be a first-ballot HOFer in the eyes of some voters. The criteria for QBs are more stringent than those of other positions. Per Pro Football Reference's HOF monitor, the average score for QBs is 108. (That number is calculated by using a player's approximate value, All-Pro nods, Pro Bowls, Super Bowls and other stats.)

Roethlisberger's HOF monitor score (100.28) falls just below average, but it's better than that of Manning (87.01). And so are his classic stats. 

The former Steelers star ranks seventh in NFL history in passing yards (64,088) and ninth in passing touchdowns (418). The former Giants standout, meanwhile, ranks 11th in passing yards (57,023) and 11th in TD passes (366). 

Roethlisberger holds the Pro Bowl edge as well. He made six in 18 seasons with Pittsburgh, while Manning made four in 16 seasons with New York.

If Manning is on the ballot the same year as Brady, forget about making an argument for him. Seven-time Super Bowl champion Brady is a clear first-ballot HOFer. But at least Manning has a 2-0 record against him on "Super Sunday."

Will Manning ever be inducted into the HOF? Probably. The postseason heroics weigh heavily in his favor, but it just may take longer than he anticipated.