Does Eli Manning expect to be here as the staying quarterback next season?@TheRecordSports @northjersey pic.twitter.com/dHTqfFjVkv
— Art Stapleton (@art_stapleton) December 26, 2018
Eli Manning told reporters that he is unsure whether this will be his final start as the quarterback of the New York Giants.
Eli Manning knows he’ll be under center for the New York Giants in week 17, but beyond that, his guess is as good as anybody else’s.
Or, at least, that’s what he’s telling the media.
The always even-keeled Manning spoke to reporters ahead of the team’s matchup with the Dallas Cowboys and was asked about his status. In a video posted to Twitter by Art Stapleton of The Record, he said, “I’ve not gotten into that or thought much about that.”
Manning went on to add that he is “just worried about doing my job and finishing the season.” Manning took the job in 2004 from Kurt Warner and has been the starter ever since, with the exception of one game last season in which he was benched for Geno Smith.
Manning, who should be a Hall of Famer one day, had an awful start to the season with a leaky offensive line. He has looked better after the bye week with improved offensive line play, but the team could choose to move on from the soon-to-be 38-year old.
The team drafted Kyle Lauletta in the fourth round of the draft, but have confusingly decided not to see what he can do in a lost season. This indicates that coach Pat Shurmur doesn’t believe that Lauletta is the answer, which increases the chances of Manning returning next season.
Manning has thrown for 3,998 yards with 19 TDs and 10 INTs this season. However, he has struggled with ball placement and has been criticized for checking down rather than trying to take the top off the defense.
Should the team move on from Manning, it will most likely need to add a quarterback in the offseason. If Manning returns, the team will need to improve the offensive line for him to avoid another frustrating season.
