Eli Manning shows true colors with honest reaction to resounding Hall of Fame snub

Eli Manning addressed his absence from the Pro Football Hall of Fame Class of 2025 after the two-time Super Bowl-winning quarterback failed to make it in his first year of eligibility.

Despite reaching the finalist stage, the former New York Giants passer was reportedly "not remotely close" to being inducted, signaling a challenging road ahead.

The Hall of Fame Selection Committee voted against Manning this year , leaving him off a 2025 class that includes just four members - Eric Allen, Antonio Gates, Sterling Sharpe, and Jared Allen.

His omission places him alongside several renowned snubs, including Jaguars running back Fred Taylor , Ravens greats Terrell Suggs and Marshal Yanda, and former Panthers linebacker Luke Kuechly.

Manning took the committee's decision in stride, offering his congratulations to those who made it while throwing in his signature humor.

"I was happy for the guys that got in.

I competed against Jared Allen, I sent him a text.

I feel like I kind of got him in because he sacked me so many times, I helped his resume," Manning joked.

"Antonio Gates, when I was coming out, thinking about going to the Chargers, doing workouts with them, they were telling me 'We've got this guy on the practice squad who didn't play college football, but he's going to be a superstar, Hall of Famer,' and I was like, 'Yeah, right.' So happy for him." The rejection in his first year on the ballot raises questions about how long Manning will have to wait before getting in, as the 2026 Hall of Fame class will be even tougher to break into.

Next year's eligible names include Drew Brees , Larry Fitzgerald, Jason Witten, Frank Gore, and Philip Rivers, the quarterback Manning was famously traded for on draft night in 2004.

The list continues with Super Bowl winners and elite impact players like three-time Pro Bowler and analyst Greg Olsen , three-time champion Julian Edelman, and two-time All-Pro LeSean McCoy also expected to receive consideration.

While some analyst project the passer as a surefire Hall of Famer, Manning's case remains divisive, despite his resume.

Eli is a two-time Super Bowl MVP [2007, 2011], a four-time Pro Bowl selection [2008, 2011, 2012, 2015], and the 2016 Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year Award winner.

His postseason record includes more playoff wins than Steve Young and Jim Kelly and more road playoff victories than his brother, Peyton Manning, or Tom Brady .

Eli's critics point to his overall body of work, specifically his 117-117 career record, which would be an outlier stat among Hall of Fame QBs.

His 366 career touchdown passes rank among the top 15 in NFL history, but his 244 career interceptions place him 12th all-time in turnovers.

Manning was never named an All-Pro or won an NFL MVP award, factors that could continue to delay his entry into Canton..

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