Eli Manning Hall of Fame Vote Shows 2-Time Super Bowl MVP May Wait A Long Time for Induction

We don't yet know who will comprise the Class of 2026 for the Pro Football Hall of Fame, but news has leaked out the past couple of days about a couple of people who won't have to worry about writing speeches this year.

The fact that former New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick didn't get in was roundly lambasted (as it should have been—it makes zero sense). But Wednesday's news that New York Giants quarterback Eli Manning was passed over again has produced a more mixed reaction.

Manning's case is a polarizing one—a player who led the G-Men to a pair of championships (winning Super Bowl MVP both times), but whose overall numbers don't exactly scream "all-time great." After missing the cut for the second straight year, it has become clear that Manning isn't the lock for induction his brother was. Eli faces an uphill climb to get in—and the grade on that climb is only going to increase moving forward.

Dan Duggan and Ian O'Connor of The Athletic reported that according to their sources, Manning was unable to garner the votes necessary for induction in his second go-round as a finalist. A year ago at this time, Manning told reporters that missing out on the Hall of Fame didn't change how he views his 16-year NFL career.

"I'm excited for those guys that got in," he said. "All of them are so deserving. I had a feeling it wasn't going to be my night, and I understand that. I'm totally at peace. It's not gonna change my outlook on my career and how I feel about it."

It's how others view that career that is the issue.

Manning's supporters point to a long career in which he threw for just over 57,000 yards and 366 touchdowns. He ranks 11th in the NFL all-time in both categories.

The crown jewel of Manning's candidacy is a pair of magical playoff runs. In 2007, he led the 10-6 Giants to three straight wins on the road in the postseason, including wins over the NFC's top-two seeds. He capped that off with the biggest upset in Super Bowl history, leading a last-minute drive that propelled the G-Men past the New England Patriots—denying them an undefeated season in the process. He threw for 255 yards and 2 touchdowns and was named the MVP of Super Bowl XLII.

In 2011, the Giants won the NFC East—but with just nine wins. Once again, New York went on a run in the postseason, including blasting the top-seeded Green Bay Packers by 17 points. Facing Tom Brady and the Patriots again in Super Bowl XLVI, Manning threw for 296 yards and a touchdown, the Giants won 21-17 and he claimed his second Super Bowl MVP award.

AP Photo/David J. Phillip

Former Giants head coach Tom Coughlin told O'Connor that Manning absolutely deserves induction:

"Eli Manning is the greatest big-game quarterback I've ever been around. When the moment was biggest, he made the plays that won the game against undefeated and dynastic teams. But what set Eli apart was more than just performance. It was the quality of the man, the quality of the preparation, and his absolute dependability. He started 210 consecutive regular-season games. Every Sunday, you knew Eli Manning was going to line up and play. As a coach, that gives you an incredible sense of confidence and stability. He was a superior individual within the franchise—tough, resilient, able to dish it out and able to take it. That combination of championship performance, leadership, and reliability is exactly what the Hall of Fame represents."

There are six players who have won multiple Super Bowl MVP awards. Terry Bradshaw, Joe Montana and Bart Starr were all first-ballot inductees to the Pro Football Hall of Fame. When all is said and done, Brady and Patrick Mahomes will almost certainly be.

But Manning is still waiting—and there's a reason for that.

Manning's detractors point to the totality of his career and numbers that don't blow you away. Manning was never really regarded as the best quarterback in the league. Or even top-three. He was never a first-team All-Pro. Made just four Pro Bowls in 16 years. Manning never led the league in passing and threw for over 4,500 yards just once. Manning threw 244 career interceptions and had a career record in the regular season of 117-117.

The biggest hurdle Manning faces moving forward may not even be his polarizing candidacy. It's the players he's fighting for a spot against and the Hall of Fame's limit on class sizes.

This year, Manning faced comparisons to Drew Brees, who has just one ring but led the league in passing seven times and eclipsed 5,000 passing yards in a season on five separate occasions. Next year, Ben Roethlisberger, who has the same number of rings and a career winning percentage of .671, is eligible for the first time. In 2028, Brady will be eligible.

AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez

Manning may have beaten Brady in the Super Bowl twice, but Brady has seven rings and more passing yards than any quarterback in NFL history—by a wide margin.

It's not just the other quarterbacks Manning must contend with. Wideout Larry Fitzgerald is eligible this year, with running back Adrian Peterson, tight end Rob Gronkowski and cornerback Richard Sherman following next year, and edge-rusher J.J. Watt in 2028. All have strong cases to be inducted in their first year of eligibility.

There are numerous players with imperfect cases, like Manning's, and a long list of candidates who have already been waiting for induction, from another quarterback such as Ken Anderson to a deep group of wide receivers that grows longer every year.

With a maximum of five "modern era" inductees each year, it's a numbers game—one where it's not that hard to imagine a scenario where Manning waits until 2028 or even 2029 to finally get the nod.

To be clear, Manning will eventually get that nod. Those two Super Bowl runs were impressive—especially the first one against the Goliath that was the 2007 Patriots. Manning's longevity is as well. He plays a position that tends to rack up accolades and recognition. His last name is Manning.

And again, every other player with multiple Super Bowl MVPs is either in the Hall of Fame or a lock to be so one day. That's a hard fact to ignore.

However, Manning might want to work up a few more statements where he insists it's fine that he got passed over again. Get comfortable. And be ready for some ribbing from his older brother.

Because while Canton will eventually come calling, it's likely going to be a while.