Eli Manning Says He Didn't Know What His Giants Future Was After 2017 Season

New York Giants quarterback Eli Manning said Tuesday he was unsure at the conclusion of the 2017 season if he would be asked to return to the G-Men in 2018.

In an interview with WFAN's Mike Francesa (h/t John Healy of the New York Daily News), Manning discussed his state of mind after a trying 2017 campaign:

"For the first time ever, I didn't know what the future held. I tried not to overthink it and draw conclusions off information I didn't know. Just had to say, 'Hey, I have to be positive through the season, offseason, and just work out and be ready for whatever is thrown at me.'

"Obviously, I was very excited to hear news from [general manager] Mr. [Dave] Gettleman and [owner] Mr. [John] Mara they wanted me back. I work extremely hard to keep my job and when you almost lose something it makes you appreciate it even more. That's certainly the case here."

The 37-year-old veteran is set to enter his 15th NFL season.

With Big Blue off to a 2-9 start last season, then-head coach Ben McAdoo benched Manning in favor of Geno Smith, thus ending his streak of 210 consecutive games started.

The change lasted only one week, though, as McAdoo was fired, and interim head coach Steve Spagnuolo reinstalled Manning as the starter.

Manning's days in New York may have been numbered had the Giants kept the same people in power, but when Gettleman replaced Jerry Reese as GM and Pat Shurmur was later hired as head coach, his job was saved.

The four-time Pro Bowler and two-time Super Bowl champion struggled through a 3-13 season in 2017, but he still put up respectable numbers with 3,468 yards, 19 touchdowns and 13 interceptions.

New York had a chance to take Sam Darnold, Josh Allen or Josh Rosen with the No. 2 overall pick in the 2018 NFL draft, but it went with Penn State running back Saquon Barkley, which suggests the new regime is confident in Manning.

In fact, the Giants didn't select a quarterback until Richmond's Kyle Lauletta in the fourth round.

Manning is better set up for success in 2018, as he will have a healthy Odell Beckham Jr. back in the fold, while Barkley should give him the productive running game he has long lacked.

Although Manning may not be long for the team with just two years remaining on his contract and the age of 40 creeping up on him, there is no controversy surrounding his status as New York's starter in 2018.