- Manning, Eli
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▪ 2009Elisha Nelson Manningborn Jan. 3, 1981, New Orleans, La.Coming from the first family of U.S. football quarterbacks, Eli Manning had great expectations bestowed upon him before he even threw a pass in the National Football League (NFL), but in 2008 he fulfilled those lofty demands. In Super Bowl XLII, held on February 3, in Glendale, Ariz., Manning led the New York Giants to a 17–14 victory over the previously unbeaten New England Patriots, taking the lead on a touchdown pass with 35 seconds left in the game. Eli was named Super Bowl Most Valuable Player (MVP) just one year after his older brother Peyton accomplished the feat with the Indianapolis Colts. In only his fourth season as New York's quarterback, Eli was a Super Bowl champion, something it took his brother nine seasons to achieve.Manning was the youngest of NFL quarterback Archie Manning's three sons and was born right after his father completed his 10th season with the New Orleans Saints. He followed in his father's footsteps and played college football at the University of Mississippi, where he passed for 10,119 yd and 81 touchdowns in four seasons. As a senior, he finished third in the Heisman Trophy voting, won the Maxwell Award as the nation's best all-around player, and was named the Southeastern Conference (SEC) Player of the Year.Eli Manning was selected by the San Diego Chargers with the number one overall pick in the 2004 NFL draft, but he did not want to play for the Chargers, so they traded him to the Giants. Peyton, the top overall draft pick in 1998, was already one of the NFL's premier quarterbacks, and the inevitable comparisons with his brother may have played a role in Eli's early struggles. As New York's starting quarterback during 2004–06, he went 20–21—including 0–2 in play-off games. In February 2007 Eli watched Peyton execute his MVP-winning performance in the Colts' Super Bowl XLI victory over the Chicago Bears. Critics began to say that Eli would never be able to match his brother's success.Eli struggled in the 2007 regular season, tying for the league lead in interceptions with 20, but the Giants finished 10–6 and clinched a spot in the play-offs. He then excelled in the postseason, leading the Giants to road wins over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Dallas Cowboys, and Green Bay Packers to earn a trip to Super Bowl XLII and the NFL title.Eli's strong play continued in the 2008 season. He led the Giants to a 12–4 record, the National Football Conference (NFC) East Division title, and the top play-off seed in the NFC. Eli was also chosen for the first time to play in the Pro Bowl, joining Peyton—an American Football Conference team selection for the ninth time—in an unprecedented showdown between sibling quarterbacks in the NFL's annual all-star game.Paul DiGiacomo
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Universalium. 2010.
