Manning's Their Man

It was perhaps the first thing New York unanimously hated since the Seinfeld finale. Reaction to Eli Manning’s benching for Geno Smith was swift and overwhelmingly negative, as fans not only piled on the controversial choice, but many of Manning’s former comrades spoke out on social media to rip on the organization.

“This man has done everything the right way for the New York Giants,” said former defensive end Osi Umenyiora. “(Head coach) Ben McAdoo has decided right now to save his job or to save whatever it is and bench Eli Manning. You don’t treat people like that, that’s not the way we do things in the New York Giants organization.”

“Are you (expletive) kidding me?” rhetorically tweeted former Giants running back Brandon Jacobs. “Show me a guy with more heart and guts than Eli and I’ll call you a liar.

Among other former teammates who spoke out were Terrell Thomas, defensive linemen Justin Tuck and Dave Tollefson, and kicker Lawrence Tynes. Tom Coughlin, Manning’s lone coach until 2015, told a Jacksonville radio station he was “very upset” by the news.

Manning’s fellow elite quarterbacks from the 2004 NFL Draft likewise spoke out, as Philip Rivers and Ben Roethlisberger voiced their opposition to the move. Rivers was particularly upset, calling the move “pathetic.”