Giants legend Eli Manning opens up about latest Hall of Fame snub

For the second time in two years, New York Giants legend Eli Manning recently learned that he fell short of being selected as a Pro Football Hall of Famer. 

During a recent chat with former NFL head coach Jon Gruden, Manning revealed his feelings on what has become a sensitive subject for passionate members of the Giants fan base. 

Is Eli Manning bitter about Hall of Fame snub? 

"And for me, you know, coach, I think it’s one of those deals," Manning said about not being part of the 2026 Hall of Fame class, per NJ Advance Media. "It doesn’t keep me up at night. I’m not going to be bitter at it. I’m not bitter at the game of football." 

Manning has routinely taken the high road while speaking about his polarizing Hall-of-Fame candidacy. Those who say he doesn't deserve to be enshrined in Canton often point out that he retired as a .500 regular-season quarterback with a 117-117 career record and that he was never viewed as the best overall signal-caller in the league. Individuals on the other side of the argument may mention that Manning is a two-time Super Bowl Most Valuable Player who was directly involved in two of the most iconic plays in Super Bowl history.

As things stand today, Manning is the only eligible player with at least two Super Bowl MVPs on his resume who isn't a Hall of Famer. Tom Brady and Patrick Mahomes are seen as locks to receive the honor at some point in the future. 

What Eli Manning thinks about when he reflects on his career

Manning undeniably experienced plenty of ups and downs as a pro QB1. For example, he recorded no postseason wins following the Giants' Super Bowl XLVI victory over the New England Patriots in February 2012. 

At this stage in his life, Manning would rather focus on what went right during his career than on what could have gone differently. 

"When I think about football, I think about touchdowns and my buddies and wins and plane rides home," Manning added during his chat with Gruden. "I don’t think about the interceptions. I don’t think about the bad stuff. I think about the positive things. And so, if I ever get in the Pro Football Hall of Fame, I’ll take it as a positive."