Eli Manning Set to Retire from the NFL

Giants quarterback Eli Manning is stepping away from the game.

The two-time Super Bowl MVP retired Wednesday, ending a solid 16-year NFL career that had plenty of ups and downs, and was highlighted by two Super Bowl triumphs over the New England Patriots.

Manning leaves Big Blue holding almost every franchise passing record.

In what turned out to be his final NFL season, Manning started the first two of the season, both losses, before former Head Coach Pat Charmer benched him in favor of Daniel Jones in Week 3.

Manning wouldn't see the field again until Week 14 when Jones suffered a high-ankle injury, keeping him out of a Monday Night match-up in Philadelphia. Manning started the Eagles game and played well, despite the loss.

Manning's final start for the Giants came in Week 15 at home against Miami, where he completed 20 of 28 passes for 283 yards, a pair of touchdowns and three interceptions in the Giants 36-20 victory that snapped a nine-game losing streak.

It was clear all season that this would at least be Manning's final year in blue. The franchise is moving forward with Daniel Jones as its quarterback, and there was no longer room for the 39-year old on the roster.

Instead of testing the free agent market in March, Manning opted to hang up his cleats now, retiring as a Giant rather than opting to play and risk another benching in a new city.

"For 16 years Eli Manning defined what it's like to be a New York Giant both on and off the field," owner and CEO John Mara said in a statement. "EIi is our two-time Super Bowl MVP and one of the very best players in our franchise's history. He represented our franchise as a consummate professional with dignity and accountability. We are beyond grateful for his contributions to our organization and look forward to his induction into in the Giants Ring of Honor in the near future."

The Giants will hold a news conference on Friday at 11 a.m.

It is unclear when Manning will have his name put up in the ring of honor, or have his number retired, but figure something will happen next season, perhaps in a primetime game once the schedule comes out.

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Looking back at Manning's career it got off to a bumpy start in 2004.  Remember he was originally drafted by the then-San Diego Chargers, but refused to play for them. The Chargers called the Giants and agreed to come up with a deal where the Giants would draft Philip Rivers and trade Rivers to San Diego for Manning. The deal ended up working out well for both sides. Rivers had a very good career in San Diego, but Manning has the brass rings.

Ironically Rivers faces a similar decision himself, having moved out of San Diego to Florida, perhaps intimating he is not going to play for the now- LA Chargers in 2020.

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Manning's rookie year in 2004 didn't exactly go as smoothly either. He sat the first nine games, watching Kurt Warner take the Giants to a 5-4 record before Tom Coughlin decided to roll the dice on the rookie Manning, basically sacrificing the Giants playoff chances at the same time. Big Blue finished 6-10.

Manning's second season went much better. He raised his completion percentage up four percentage points, and threw for 3,762 yards and 24 touchdowns. His comeback victory against Denver on a late Sunday afternoon in November was a preview of coming attractions. The Giants went 11-5 that season, before bowing out of the playoffs to Carolina in Manning's first playoff game.

Two years later the Giants were on the move again. After starting out 0-2, the Giants finished the season at 10-6 and snuck into the playoffs.  As a sixth seed, the Giants beat back the Tampa Buccaneers, Dallas Cowboys and Green Bay Packers all in succession to get to Super Bowl XLII to face the undefeated, 16-0 Patriots. The same Patriots who beat the Giants in a tug-of-war four weeks earlier in Week 17.

The Giants hung tough with New England all night before Manning scrambled out of a sack, and heaved a ball down field onto the helmet of David Tyree. With safety Rodney Harrison all over him, Tyree trapped the ball on his helmet and fell to the University of Phoenix Stadium turf with a completion that would be immortalized forever. A few plays later, Manning hit Plaxico Burress in the end zone for the game winning touchdown.

Giants 17 - Patriots 14. 18-1.

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Four years later, the Giants were back in the Super Bowl, and again it was the New England Patriots as the opponent. The Patriots were not undefeated this time, but at 13-3 they were still the same formidable foe.

The Giants found themselves trailing 17-15 late in the game when Manning engineered another heroic comeback. His sideline pass to Mario Manningham set the stage for the rally as he marched the Giants 88-yards in nine plays for the winning score on Ahmad Bradshaw's tumbling, excuse me touchdown that put New York in front for good 21-17.

In the end Manning won the MVP trophy again.

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Since their Super Bowl glory years, things have not been as much fun for Big Blue. The Giants have had only two winning seasons since, and one playoff appearance. They have been through three head coaches and are on their fourth right now. The Manning Era had its peaks and valleys, but in the end he will always be one of the greatest quarterback's New York City has ever had.