Is Eli Manning in the Same Class as Tom Brady?
Eli Manning = Elite Quarterback
(nbcsports.com) The omission of Giants quarterback Eli Manning for the player-generated Top 100 list compiled and presented by NFL Network during the lockout raised plenty of eyebrows. Eli puts himself on the list. He puts himself high on the list. Asked by ESPN 1050′s Michael Kay whether Eli puts himself in the same class as Tom Brady, Eli said this: “I consider myself in that class and Tom Brady is a great quarterback, he’s a great player and what you’ve seen with him is he’s gotten better every year and he started off winning championships and I think he’s a better quarterback now than what he was, in all honesty, when he was winning those championships. It’s funny, you say well he won championships, but the team, but I think know he’s grown up and gotten better every year and that’s what I’m trying to do. I kind of hope these next seven years of my quarterback days are my best.”
First of all, every Giants fan should be ecstatic about this Eli quote. While the Eagles have been making a ton of noise this offseason, the Giants have been extremely quiet. It’s finally nice to hear some sort of confidence come out of one of our players. Eli has been known to stay away from controversy in the media, so this was a nice surprise. Of course the New York media twisted this quote into saying that Eli claimed he’s just as good as Brady. By no means, he didn’t say this at all. All Eli said was that he considers himself in the same class. What do you want the guy to say? “No, I don’t deserve to be in the same class. I’m not as good as him.” Who can fault a guy for answering a question with some confidence?
What does being in the same class mean anyway? I’d say this means being a top five quarterback in the league, and I’m confident to say that Eli is a top five quarterback (Brady, Peyton Manning, Vick, Rivers, Eli Manning). Eli has quietly thrown over 4,000 yards the past two seasons. Plus, we all know he defeated Brady head-to-head in Super Bowl XLII. Apparently Patriots fans are fuming about Eli’s answer. Why are they? He didn’t even come close to saying he’s as good as Brady. I believe Tom Brady is the greatest quarterback of all-time. But right now in 2011, I think Eli Manning is an elite NFL quarterback. Therefore, he’s in the same class as Tom Brady. Argument over.
5 BOROUGH SPORTS 
August 17, 2011 at 11:55 pm
Burke, this is a terrible article for the simple reason that eli manning is not in the elite class of quarterbacks. in fact he’s not a top 10 quarterback in the league right now. Brady, Peyton, Aaron Rodgers, Drew Brees, Vick, Rivers, Roethlisberger, schaub, matt ryan, and joe flacco are all better than Eli. You could even argue that Matt Casell and Josh Freeman are better than Eli putting him at 13th best in the NFL today. I respect his confidence and his super bowl ring, but its laughable to consider him in the same class as Tom Terrific.
August 18, 2011 at 12:12 am
Schaub, Ryan, Flacco? C’mon man. You have an argument with Rodgers and Brees but would you honestly take those three QBs over him? That’s a laughable comment. Another thing – what defines Tom Brady’s class? Is it the top 3, top 5, top 10? Pretty vague question if you ask me.
August 18, 2011 at 12:21 am
Stats don’t lie my friend. Eli finished 17th in passer rating last year and threw an astronomically high 25 picks. Therefore the simple answer to your question is i would definitely rather have schaub, ryan, flacco, freeman, or cassell throwing the ball to my receivers (who probably aren’t nearly as talented as the ones eli had last year when he threw 25! ints). Brady’s class should be the Tom Brady Greatest Quarterback Ever class which is reserved for Joe Montana and Tom Brady. The only way eli is getting into that class is if they need someone to shine their shoes, clean up shit off the toilet, or hop on the ugly friend grenade, but Eli would have to fight his brother Peyton for that job.
August 18, 2011 at 10:06 am
Super Bowl MVP + 4,000 passing the last two years + 30+ TDs last season = Elite.
You’re probably right about Rodgers and Brees. So I’ll go ahead and say Eli is 7th best QB in the league. But if he has a strong year and cuts down his INTs this season, he could be in the top 5.
August 18, 2011 at 10:27 am
8/18 9:28am:
Eli Manning: “I don’t think it was out of character,” Eli said. “The question was if I thought I was an elite quarterback or a top five quarterback, and I answered truthfully and said I was. So I don’t think I said anything incorrectly, I don’t know how else I was supposed to answer that question.”
Amen brother.
October 31, 2011 at 5:19 pm
[…] Peyton Manning, Drew Brees, and Aaron Rodgers. As a Giants fan with full trust in Eli Manning, I backed his statement by agreeing with him 100%. As we reach the half-way point of the 2011 season, Eli ranks fifth in the league in passing […]
November 7, 2011 at 3:52 pm
I guess he’s elite now. Taking down Brady in Foxborough. Nice! You cant spell elite with out Eli.