Retired Giants QB Eli Manning Makes List of 25 Semifinalists for Hall of Fame

Manning takes another step toward enshrinement in Canton.

The New York Giants retire Eli Manning's jersey during a Ring of Honor ceremony at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford on Sunday, Sept. 26, 2021. / Danielle Parhizkaran/NorthJersey.com via Imagn Content Services, LLC

Retired New York Giants quarterback Eli Manning has advanced to the next round of cuts for the Pro Football Hall of Fame’s Class of 2025 

Two-time Super Bowl-winner and MVP joins 24 other semifinalists, six of whom are first-year Modern-Era candidates. Seventeen of the athletes were semifinalists for the Class of 2024, and two have reached this stage but were later cut last year.

Manning played for the Giants from 2004-2019, contributing 57,023 yards, 366 touchdowns, and 244 interceptions. He remains the only former Giant to be in consideration for the Hall of Fame honors. 

Manning came to the Giants via a blockbuster draft trade made in 2004 by then-general manager Ernie Accorsi, who sent the No. 4 pick (used on quarterback Phillip Rivers, who went on to have a lengthy career with the Chargers), No. 65 (used on kicker Nate Kaeding), and, from 2005, the No. 12 pick (used on linebacker Shawne Merriman), and pick No. 144 (used on tight end Jerome Collins, who was traded to the Rams via Tampa Bay for tackle Roman Oben). 

The trade proved well worth it as Manning led the Giants to two improbable Super Bowl championships. The quarterback who also was named the 2016 Walter Payton Man of the Year Award winner (along with former Cardinals receiver Larry Fitzgerald), was also a four-time Pro Bowler (2008, 2011, 2012, and 2015) for the Giants, was also inducted him into their Ring of Honor and retired his No. 10 jersey. 

The original group of Hall of Fame nominees consisted of 167 nominees but has been whittled down every few weeks since the start of the NFL season. The next cut will only include 15 of the nominees on this list.

The ‘Senior,’ ‘Coach,’ and ‘Contributor’ categories of candidates are also being reduced. The final 20 athletes (from all of the categories combined) will be announced at the selection committee’s annual meeting in December.

Four to eight members from these three categories, plus the Modern-Era group, will be selected to join the Hall of Fame in December.

The Pro Football Hall of Fame’s Class of 2025 will be announced at “NFL Honors” in February in New Orleans, Louisiana. The enshrinements will take place in August.

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