Former New York Giants quarterback Phil Simms speaks on Big Blue’s current situation regarding Eli Manning as well as franchise quarterbacks.
It’s a different time in the NFL for quarterbacks, and former New York Giants quarterback Phil Simms understands that. There’s now a need for “franchise” quarterbacks along with their longevity.
Simms spoke with Ryan Dunleavy of nj.com on Tuesday about his sad ending with Big Blue back in the ’90s. The Giants up and released Simms in 1994 after an 11-5 season.
“You mean the year we won a playoff game, went 11-5 and, oh, I went to the Pro Bowl? I’ve gotten over that,” Simms said, sarcastically.
However, it’s now a different time with quarterbacks and what they bring to the table as far as the franchise is concerned. That may be why the Giants have turned their backs towards any alternative to Eli Manning in recent years. The team hasn’t won a playoff game since the 2011 season, and they haven’t really considered the successor to Manning until this offseason.
“It’s a different world now,” Simms said. “If I was in the world now, they would’ve never let me go because I’d have been a ‘franchise quarterback.’ This new phrase. Franchise. That means we bow and kiss, and that’s why they keep people.”
Now entering his 16th season in 2019, Manning will most likely be kept on the Giants after all. He will likely act as the mentor for whomever they draft at quarterback. That is, if they do decide to draft a quarterback in the upcoming NFL Draft. The Giants reportedly have their eyes on Ohio State University’s Dwayne Haskins, University of Oklahoma’s Kyler Murray, and Duke University’s Daniel Jones. But for 2019, they may stick with their longtime franchise quarterback. Simms gets that feeling as well.
“I’m getting a sense the Giants are more determined now to draft a quarterback — and I think they will,” Simms mentioned. “The No. 6 pick? I’m not sure about that. I’ll believe it when I see it. I think Eli knows if he comes back, he is going to be the starter. What rookie is going to come in and do well enough to unseat him? Now, from there, the grace period is very small.”
