Eli Manning responds to Odell Beckham Jr. chatter: 'I won a few games before he was here'
There’s been a lot of noise around Eli Manning this offseason.
The 15-year veteran quarterback watched his New York Giants draft his replacement and trade away his top weapon over the span of a few weeks.
Manning’s remained calm amid the storm
It couldn’t have been easy for Manning. But he’s remained mostly silent throughout the drama, declining to add anything to the conversation that might amplify the noise.
Now that he’s in training camp with his eventual successor Daniel Jones, he has little choice but to talk as media swarm NFL practice facilities for the long-awaited first real taste of the 2019 season.
On Thursday, he slipped a bit from that trademark Manning stoicism when asked about his thoughts on Odell Beckham Jr.’s frequent criticism of the Giants since being traded to the Cleveland Browns in March.
Manning responds to Beckham’s chatter
Asked about his thoughts on Beckham’s chatter, Manning engaged in some sly ring-counting when talking with NFL Network.
Manning: ‘I won a few games’ before Beckham
“I don’t think they bothered me,” Manning told NFLN’s Andrew Siciliano when asked about about Beckham’s comments. “You just kind of shake your head and laugh.”
Kurt Warner — the guy Manning replaced in 2004 — was sitting on set next to Manning in some sort of circle-of-NFL-life setup by NFLN. He chuckled on cue at Manning’s response and pointed out the two Super Bowl rings Manning has won.
“I won a few games before he was here,” Manning retorted with a big grin on his face.
Granted, that’s not the type of comment to set Twitter on fire in 2019. But for Manning — when he’s not giving his brother Peyton some golly-gee ribbing — that accounts as a sick burn.
Take that, Odell.
Eli’s earned it
There’s no getting around that the Giants are going to be worse off for trading one of the most unique talents in football. Believers that the Giants and general manager Dave Gettleman got the best of that deal are few and far between.
But there’s nothing Manning can do about it, just like theres’s nothing he can do about the inevitability of Jones taking his job.
Manning has remained remarkably calm throughout the Giants turmoil that he had no hand in creating.
It’s refreshing to see him take a sliver of satisfaction at letting one rip at Beckham’s expense.
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