on one side of the scale is potentially a 4th Lombardi. On the other side of the scale is a beautiful wife and three daughters.
Enough money to retire in a life of luxury? check
Three Superbowl rings? check
Shoo-in for HOF? check
Would he want to spend more time with his daughters who getting older and will be involved in school activities? Not sure. Only he can answer that.
So Eli has to ask himself: Is it worth taking the chance of a serious or debilitating injury that could negatively effect the rest of his life for some additional glory? There in lies the million dollar question!
This year, I'd definitely keep playing - you have an opportunity to defend your title! In 2 or 3 years? Then I could see him giving serious thought to calling it a day.
If I were Eli, winning or not winning a SB would not alter my plans
I like to play. I like to compete. I like to win. That is what drives me.
I am not looking for fame. I don't need anyone's approval except my own, and that includes the folks in Canton. I already have as much fame and money as I will ever need. And I have no ambitions towards becoming a TV personality.
I learned from Tiki's example that it is not a good idea to make my retirement plans public. However, when I make a decision, I will probably tell Jerry and Ben about it, unless I am advised by my family and agent that telling them will hurt me financially.
However, there is a significant likelihood, that my retirement will be a lot sooner if my offensive line cannot keep me healthy.
Life's too short. What is the difference between all he has accomplished and one more SB Trophy? He's already a Hall of Famer.
The beatings he's taken? Hell, if it were me, I'd have probably quit after 2013. Who the hell would want to open the door to that hell season repeating??
That said, I'm happy he's dippy enough to keep playing.
RE: Archie quit when he no longer had it or could physically
In all reality....we are going to see the Giants make a couple of runs in the next few years and likely falling short of winning the Super Bowl. Eli does not need to win another Super Bowl to cement his legacy. Just play well over the next few years.
On paper, this is our best team (possibly) since 2008
I have a good feeling we can make a real SB run this year. If Eli does win a SB this year, there is no doubt in my mind he keeps playing. This team has nothing but upside right now as we seem to have done well in free agency & the draft of late.
If I'm the Giants and Eli this year, you just pray you stay healthy, get healthy (FS D. Thompson, M. Thompson, N. Behre) and develop the youth (esp. Flowers, Hart, Bisnotway, Wheeler, Goodson, Apple, Adams, Okwara, Tomlinson, Engram, etc.). I tend to be an optimist but man oh man, Eli has to be so happy he now has redzone threats with Marshall, Ellison, maybe Adams and Engram. We can't bog down when we get inside the 30 and areas get tight.
Eli just needs to play ball control and keep the chains moving by hitting the open guy quickly. Given all of our talented targets, we should move the ball easily by drawing coverage to the big 3: OBJ, Marshall and I think Engram.
I wholeheartedly agree. We were healthy last year, overall, which is why we got to the playoffs. But think about how BAD our offensive weapons were? We won close games with defense and special teams. We had no #2 WR or #4 even. We sucked blocking everywhere. We turned it over as Eli was forced. It was an offensive nightmare that I don't think anyone predicted. Losing FB W. Johnson hurt more than we know as at least he could have blocked some for the edge and for the run game.
We get out of camp healthy and stay healthy early, winning 3-0 or 4-0, before the inevitable dings hit, we are on our way to the division championship.
Ball control, keep the defense fresh & attacking, strong specials, don't turn it over while allowing our secondary to get turnovers. We have talent everywhere except maybe the OL. We really could use HUGE years from Pugh & Richburg and for Flowers do develop. That would go a long way to a SB run...and great season.
which is even more important to his family and welfare than trophies.
If injuries and quality of life aren't a factor, there's no reason not to keep playing.
Keep playing for one more year. Allow team to transition
He would keep playing. He's already reached the apex twice and is a NY sports hero so I don't think he's continued to play out of trying to particularly achieve anything, he's playing because this is all he knows in life. Now I would have personally retired by now knowing all the terrible things about CTE. He's got financial security for several generations of Mannings, he's well liked and respected by just about everybody, he's a two time Super Bowl f'n champ that took down the titan of his generation and did so with ice water in his veins and most importantly he's got little kids at home that I'm sure he wants to be an integral part of their lives well past his playing years.
Tiki announced his plan to retire early on. Imagine how much more
or told me I couldn't play anymore. But that's me.
Love when people get on athletes for hanging on too long. FU. Go quit your job while you still need money and want to work and then tell me an athlete held on too long. I don't blame these guys for playing until the drop or even longer. It's what they do. Most of them love the game.
Better chance at the HOF. If he sticks around, then he'll start declining and people will start complaining about his play again.
Eli is a near lock now. If he wins another title and then proceeds to throw 500 INTs and 0 Tds while shitting all over every NFL field he'd still be a first ballot lock. 2 rings is great. 3 rings is legendary.
RE: Archie quit when he no longer had it or could physically
perform..Peyton retired ONLY because he could no longer physically do it. Eli will play as long as his body says yes, imo..
It's in their blood. Deeply.
Don't know who said it but it was something to the effect of : Fast forward 25 years and Peyton's grinding at perfecting the latest innovation and Eli is sitting on the floor playing with his grandkids. Gotta love them both.
if Eli won another one, he'd stay and try and win yet another one after that.
Winning is never enough for anyone that competes. You just want more. It's rare to see an athlete retire right after winning a title. Elway is the exception. He was 38 and running on fumes at that point.
Eli probably moves into the top 10 after this year. If he plays 3 more years and averages 10 wins per year (counting playoffs) he could move up to 5 or 6, depending on Brees and Big Ben. I think Big Ben retires after this year.
Those two jumps in stats would not only get him into the HOF but get him up into some rarefied air.
I'd retire a multi millionaire with 3 SB rings and beloved by fans of 1 of the most storied franchises in sports history - with the ability to walk/remember things.
Lets just say Eli and the Giants do in fact win the SB in 2017, giving Eli 3 rings and a guaranteed HOF entry. Now, not many QB's have won "back to back" SB's, so Eli would surely play in 2018 so long as he had the physical ability to still produce.
I'd have to be in real bad shape physically to walk away from getting paid major bucks to play a game I enjoy and I tried to go for back to back Championships.
regardless of any more Super Bowl wins. He will turn 39 at the conclusion of his contract.
I actually think he might walk a year early if he sees his skills diminishing.
Go out on top without suffering any more injuries. That competitive fire, though, is one of the things that separates Eli from more average QBs. Hard to just turn it off.
... and break Brett Favre's consecutive game mark.
Then, as someone said earlier, you drop the mic and walk off stage.
Eli will play out this contract UNLESS he physically is actually falling off as some have intimated. This year will be telling but my guess is he plays at least 2 more years, and hopefully they mark 2 SB wins. :)
He has been competing against big brother Peyton all his life. He isn't going to catch him in touchdowns, completions or yardage. So what's left.
Another Super Bowl Ring and the family iron man title. So here's my take.
Barring injury, in three years he becomes the family iron man and, with a little luck, at least one more Super Bowl win. Then he retires.
But what happens if he is injured and the streak ends. IMO he stays until he wins a Super Bowl or the end of his contract (whichever comes first) and then he retires.
a heartbeat. Let's be frank. He is never going to be the greatest QB of all Times. One of the greatest, but never the greatest. He has all the money he will ever need. He can go and do what he ever wants to do which I expect would be to support his family 24/7 like we all would.
Imagine being there for whenever and whatever your family needs you?
he should force the front office to tear up the last 2 years of the existing contract. It would be ridiculous that he would only be earning a $11 mil base salary when the likes of Kirk Cousins is doubling the yearly salary for not winning a thing.
If the front office does not commit new money making him the starter, then they should outright release him. Let him take his talent and pedigree to a team that will pay him accordingly. Perhaps, he can bring a championship to another franchise as a hired gun.
is that it isn't a career. It's a temporary job in which you get to play a game for a living and have the potential to make a ton of money. Most people are settled into their careers working in fields like banking, construction, engineering, accounting, etc., and working up the ladder. In your 40's, you generally peak at how for up the ladder you will go and in your 50's, it's really kind of a steady, mundane job and you crave vacation time and away time more than the job. Of course, there are those who live in the "heart attack fast lane" who never quit trying to climb the ladder. That's why planes full of women in their 40's, 50's, and 60's land in Hawaii (or Jamaica, or Paris, etc.) for a couple of fun filled weeks spending their dead husband's life insurance and living it up and partying like it's 1999 - having the times of their lives as their husband is six feet under ground.
Regardless, football is a "short career". If you can walk away from it without any loss of mobility and/or a life of physical pain or mental issues - you've already won the luck trophy in life. If you can walk away and be financially set for you and your successive generations, you've really won the trophy, only it's solid gold.
No one knows what goes on in Eli's head - none of us. He isn't his father and he isn't his brother. In fact, he seems more like his mother (personality wise). No matter how much we speculate, I imagine Eli and Abbey discuss this subject much more than we can on this thread and I imagine they weigh the pluses and minuses of continuing play. And I personally think that Eli cares a whole lot more about what his wife thinks about and wants than what his fans want. Likewise, I think he is not like Peyton who is super comfortable being a ham on screen and hawking insurance in ads or whatever. That's just Peyton who seems to love that role. Eli seems (from a distance anyway) to be the consummate family man.
Only time will tell what he decides and eventually does and if he decides to keep playing, us fans will benefit (even though we have nothing at stake in the matter other than boasting about "our team"). If he decides that "enough's, enough" and goes home to his family then I say, "more power to him" and "thanks for the memories" and "we will always love him". Whether he continues for another 5 or 10 years or not, he will always be beloved by true blue Giants' fans.
he should force the front office to tear up the last 2 years of the existing contract. It would be ridiculous that he would only be earning a $11 mil base salary when the likes of Kirk Cousins is doubling the yearly salary for not winning a thing.
If the front office does not commit new money making him the starter, then they should outright release him. Let him take his talent and pedigree to a team that will pay him accordingly. Perhaps, he can bring a championship to another franchise as a hired gun.
First of all, he has $5MM roster bonuses in each of the final two years of his contract that he's nearly assured of receiving unless he declines sharply, and even then will probably receive one of the two at least. So let's not make it out like he's only going to receive $11MM per season in his final two years.
Secondly, this is not the first time you've suggested something like this regarding Eli (I believe you've also suggested he should hold out this summer to increase his guaranteed money). I have to ask - are you a Giants fan, or are you just an Eli fan who roots for the Giants by extension? Because the scenarios you suggest would be to the detriment of the Giants.
They've never tried to cheap out on Eli and have paid him handsomely over the years (over $200MM so far and he will finish his contract having earned more than $250MM). They did structure his contract to give themselves some safeguards in Eli's age 38 and 39 seasons, but that's not an insult to Eli. It's an awareness of the fact that players tend to decline in their late 30s. If he avoids that steep decline, he'll earn every penny.
he should force the front office to tear up the last 2 years of the existing contract. It would be ridiculous that he would only be earning a $11 mil base salary when the likes of Kirk Cousins is doubling the yearly salary for not winning a thing.
If the front office does not commit new money making him the starter, then they should outright release him. Let him take his talent and pedigree to a team that will pay him accordingly. Perhaps, he can bring a championship to another franchise as a hired gun.
First of all, he has $5MM roster bonuses in each of the final two years of his contract that he's nearly assured of receiving unless he declines sharply, and even then will probably receive one of the two at least. So let's not make it out like he's only going to receive $11MM per season in his final two years.
Secondly, this is not the first time you've suggested something like this regarding Eli (I believe you've also suggested he should hold out this summer to increase his guaranteed money). I have to ask - are you a Giants fan, or are you just an Eli fan who roots for the Giants by extension? Because the scenarios you suggest would be to the detriment of the Giants.
They've never tried to cheap out on Eli and have paid him handsomely over the years (over $200MM so far and he will finish his contract having earned more than $250MM). They did structure his contract to give themselves some safeguards in Eli's age 38 and 39 seasons, but that's not an insult to Eli. It's an awareness of the fact that players tend to decline in their late 30s. If he avoids that steep decline, he'll earn every penny.
I'm well aware of his contract. I'm aware of the roster bonuses due on the 3rd day of the league year for each of the final 2 years. In my response, I did specify the base salary. In the context of the question posed, if Eli should win a 3rd SB this year, he should demand the final 2 years of his existing contract get torn up. The front office should pay a 3 time winning SB Champ the current market rate. If they do not and Eli wants to continue playing, he should be able to hit the open market and be paid accordingly. I would hate to see him in another uniform, but it's ridiculous that Cousins get paid 2x what Eli does and Kirk hasn't won a damn thing.
Will allocating more money hurt the franchise financially? I don't think so. If Mara doesn't have the coin, he can ask Uncle Steve. Will more guaranteed money be difficult to manage with the cap? I don't think so. Let Abrams do his job and figure it out.
With regards to my rooting interest - I root for the Team. I root for the laundry. It does not mean that I endorse the front office or the current coach. I will not blindly admire the Emperor's New Clothes. When it comes to rooting for individual players, I live by the rule that the player must earn their second contract with Big Blue. It allows me to be objective as it pertains to the transitory nature of player movement in the salary cap era. Do I want the players (recent FAs or players on the rookie contract) to play well? Of course, I expect them to do their job and do it well.
So yes, I root for the Giants and Eli personally. He's earned it. You know what he hasn't earned? Being thrown under the bus by Ben and Jerry with their snide comments. Jerry started years ago with his "hang dog" comments. I think it's a crock of shit the narrative that is being formed to perhaps soften the blow for the eventual transition at QB. Yes, Eli wont' play forever and someone will replace him. But there is nothing wrong with Eli as he has shown playing lights out in GB when the rest of the offense is parading around shirtless wishing they were still in Miami.
I'm well aware of his contract. I'm aware of the roster bonuses due on the 3rd day of the league year for each of the final 2 years. In my response, I did specify the base salary.(1) In the context of the question posed, if Eli should win a 3rd SB this year, he should demand the final 2 years of his existing contract get torn up. The front office should pay a 3 time winning SB Champ the current market rate.(2) If they do not and Eli wants to continue playing, he should be able to hit the open market and be paid accordingly. I would hate to see him in another uniform, but it's ridiculous that Cousins get paid 2x what Eli does(3) and Kirk hasn't won a damn thing.
Will allocating more money hurt the franchise financially? I don't think so. If Mara doesn't have the coin, he can ask Uncle Steve. Will more guaranteed money be difficult to manage with the cap? I don't think so.(4) Let Abrams do his job and figure it out.
With regards to my rooting interest - I root for the Team. I root for the laundry. It does not mean that I endorse the front office or the current coach. I will not blindly admire the Emperor's New Clothes. When it comes to rooting for individual players, I live by the rule that the player must earn their second contract with Big Blue. It allows me to be objective as it pertains to the transitory nature of player movement in the salary cap era. Do I want the players (recent FAs or players on the rookie contract) to play well? Of course, I expect them to do their job and do it well.
So yes, I root for the Giants and Eli personally. He's earned it. You know what he hasn't earned? Being thrown under the bus by Ben and Jerry with their snide comments. Jerry started years ago with his "hang dog" comments. I think it's a crock of shit the narrative that is being formed to perhaps soften the blow for the eventual transition at QB. Yes, Eli wont' play forever and someone will replace him. But there is nothing wrong with Eli as he has shown playing lights out in GB when the rest of the offense is parading around shirtless wishing they were still in Miami.(5)
1. I know you did. And it was either intentionally misleading or obtuse. His compensation is structured in a particular way to work within the cap. His base salary alone only tells a fraction of the story.
2. This is completely ignoring the fact that he'd be 37 in this imaginary scenario and is being paid fair market value. Should Eli give back some of the $37MM he earned in 2015 when the team went 6-10 and he threw 14 interceptions?
3. Impressive - a second red herring! Interesting that you chose to use Kirk Cousins as your comparison point rather than, say, Tom Brady. Not only is Cousins 28 (not 37), but he's playing on a second consecutive franchise tag, so his salary is inflated as a result. I also don't think the Giants should be taking their roster and cap management cues from the Redskins.
4. Yes, it's very likely that additional guaranteed money would affect the cap. At a minimum, it would reduce flexibility going forward.
5. And there we have the real motive.
Bottom line, Eli has earned the second most contract money of any player in NFL history. And if he plays out the remainder of his current contract, even with no modifications to benefit him like you wish for, he will become the league's all-time highest paid player. As great as Eli has been, can anyone honestly look at the entirety of Eli's career and say, "yup, that's the guy who earned more money than anyone else"?
I'm not sure those are congruent though. Beckham is under contract for two more years with the possibility of a long-term deal or franchise tag looming; Marshall has already said he intends to retire at the end of this contract.
agreed
Also he doesn't have any nagging injuries as far as we know.
Enough money to retire in a life of luxury? check
Three Superbowl rings? check
Shoo-in for HOF? check
Would he want to spend more time with his daughters who getting older and will be involved in school activities? Not sure. Only he can answer that.
So Eli has to ask himself: Is it worth taking the chance of a serious or debilitating injury that could negatively effect the rest of his life for some additional glory? There in lies the million dollar question!
If Eli's play is worse that last year then I think you go out with glory. If he bounces back to 2015 levels, keep going.
If we won another Super Bowl after 3 more seasons? Might be a different story, then. Might pull a Strahan.
It's in their blood. Deeply.
I am not looking for fame. I don't need anyone's approval except my own, and that includes the folks in Canton. I already have as much fame and money as I will ever need. And I have no ambitions towards becoming a TV personality.
I learned from Tiki's example that it is not a good idea to make my retirement plans public. However, when I make a decision, I will probably tell Jerry and Ben about it, unless I am advised by my family and agent that telling them will hurt me financially.
However, there is a significant likelihood, that my retirement will be a lot sooner if my offensive line cannot keep me healthy.
I kid I kid...
Life's too short. What is the difference between all he has accomplished and one more SB Trophy? He's already a Hall of Famer.
The beatings he's taken? Hell, if it were me, I'd have probably quit after 2013. Who the hell would want to open the door to that hell season repeating??
That said, I'm happy he's dippy enough to keep playing.
It's in their blood. Deeply.
You're probably right, but the question is - if you were Eli what would you do. If it were me, I'd retire.
Quote:
perform..Peyton retired ONLY because he could no longer physically do it. Eli will play as long as his body says yes, imo..
It's in their blood. Deeply.
You're probably right, but the question is - if you were Eli what would you do. If it were me, I'd retire.
I would continue
In all reality....we are going to see the Giants make a couple of runs in the next few years and likely falling short of winning the Super Bowl. Eli does not need to win another Super Bowl to cement his legacy. Just play well over the next few years.
If I'm the Giants and Eli this year, you just pray you stay healthy, get healthy (FS D. Thompson, M. Thompson, N. Behre) and develop the youth (esp. Flowers, Hart, Bisnotway, Wheeler, Goodson, Apple, Adams, Okwara, Tomlinson, Engram, etc.). I tend to be an optimist but man oh man, Eli has to be so happy he now has redzone threats with Marshall, Ellison, maybe Adams and Engram. We can't bog down when we get inside the 30 and areas get tight.
Eli just needs to play ball control and keep the chains moving by hitting the open guy quickly. Given all of our talented targets, we should move the ball easily by drawing coverage to the big 3: OBJ, Marshall and I think Engram.
We get out of camp healthy and stay healthy early, winning 3-0 or 4-0, before the inevitable dings hit, we are on our way to the division championship.
Ball control, keep the defense fresh & attacking, strong specials, don't turn it over while allowing our secondary to get turnovers. We have talent everywhere except maybe the OL. We really could use HUGE years from Pugh & Richburg and for Flowers do develop. That would go a long way to a SB run...and great season.
1 more win than Big Brother
1st vote Hof
Time to chill
I love Eli, but it wouldn't shock me if he split after another SB win.
If injuries and quality of life aren't a factor, there's no reason not to keep playing.
Eli's a good egg...
Tiki's post season press conference: "Oh by the way, after single handedly carrying this team, I'm done."
Love when people get on athletes for hanging on too long. FU. Go quit your job while you still need money and want to work and then tell me an athlete held on too long. I don't blame these guys for playing until the drop or even longer. It's what they do. Most of them love the game.
Eli is a near lock now. If he wins another title and then proceeds to throw 500 INTs and 0 Tds while shitting all over every NFL field he'd still be a first ballot lock. 2 rings is great. 3 rings is legendary.
It's in their blood. Deeply.
Don't know who said it but it was something to the effect of : Fast forward 25 years and Peyton's grinding at perfecting the latest innovation and Eli is sitting on the floor playing with his grandkids. Gotta love them both.
Winning is never enough for anyone that competes. You just want more. It's rare to see an athlete retire right after winning a title. Elway is the exception. He was 38 and running on fumes at that point.
Touchdowns
1. Peyton: 539
2. Favre: 508
3. Brees: 465
4. Brady: 456
5. Marino: 420
6. Tarkenton: 342
7. Eli: 320
8. Rivers: 314
9. Big Ben: 301
10. Elway: 301
With a few more years he moves into top 5, passing Marino and puts some room between him and Big Ben, arguably is biggest competition for the HOF.
Total Wins:
1. Brady: 208
2. Peyton: 200
3. Favre: 199
4. Elway: 162
5. Marino: 155
6. Big Ben: 136
7. Brees: 135
8. Montana: 133
9. Tarkenton: 130
10. Unitas: 124
11. Bradshaw: 121
12. Eli 116
Eli probably moves into the top 10 after this year. If he plays 3 more years and averages 10 wins per year (counting playoffs) he could move up to 5 or 6, depending on Brees and Big Ben. I think Big Ben retires after this year.
Those two jumps in stats would not only get him into the HOF but get him up into some rarefied air.
but what happens after that next year?
[I will never forget this game. 1 of my all time favorite games. exhausting to even watch on tv]
Eli would probably want to keep playing.
This year? I'd keep playing.
Next year? I'd think long and hard about it.
2 years from now? I'd hang it up.
I actually think he might walk a year early if he sees his skills diminishing.
Then, as someone said earlier, you drop the mic and walk off stage.
Then, as someone said earlier, you drop the mic and walk off stage.
Another Super Bowl Ring and the family iron man title. So here's my take.
Barring injury, in three years he becomes the family iron man and, with a little luck, at least one more Super Bowl win. Then he retires.
But what happens if he is injured and the streak ends. IMO he stays until he wins a Super Bowl or the end of his contract (whichever comes first) and then he retires.
Imagine being there for whenever and whatever your family needs you?
We would all do that.
If the front office does not commit new money making him the starter, then they should outright release him. Let him take his talent and pedigree to a team that will pay him accordingly. Perhaps, he can bring a championship to another franchise as a hired gun.
Regardless, football is a "short career". If you can walk away from it without any loss of mobility and/or a life of physical pain or mental issues - you've already won the luck trophy in life. If you can walk away and be financially set for you and your successive generations, you've really won the trophy, only it's solid gold.
No one knows what goes on in Eli's head - none of us. He isn't his father and he isn't his brother. In fact, he seems more like his mother (personality wise). No matter how much we speculate, I imagine Eli and Abbey discuss this subject much more than we can on this thread and I imagine they weigh the pluses and minuses of continuing play. And I personally think that Eli cares a whole lot more about what his wife thinks about and wants than what his fans want. Likewise, I think he is not like Peyton who is super comfortable being a ham on screen and hawking insurance in ads or whatever. That's just Peyton who seems to love that role. Eli seems (from a distance anyway) to be the consummate family man.
Only time will tell what he decides and eventually does and if he decides to keep playing, us fans will benefit (even though we have nothing at stake in the matter other than boasting about "our team"). If he decides that "enough's, enough" and goes home to his family then I say, "more power to him" and "thanks for the memories" and "we will always love him". Whether he continues for another 5 or 10 years or not, he will always be beloved by true blue Giants' fans.
If the front office does not commit new money making him the starter, then they should outright release him. Let him take his talent and pedigree to a team that will pay him accordingly. Perhaps, he can bring a championship to another franchise as a hired gun.
First of all, he has $5MM roster bonuses in each of the final two years of his contract that he's nearly assured of receiving unless he declines sharply, and even then will probably receive one of the two at least. So let's not make it out like he's only going to receive $11MM per season in his final two years.
Secondly, this is not the first time you've suggested something like this regarding Eli (I believe you've also suggested he should hold out this summer to increase his guaranteed money). I have to ask - are you a Giants fan, or are you just an Eli fan who roots for the Giants by extension? Because the scenarios you suggest would be to the detriment of the Giants.
They've never tried to cheap out on Eli and have paid him handsomely over the years (over $200MM so far and he will finish his contract having earned more than $250MM). They did structure his contract to give themselves some safeguards in Eli's age 38 and 39 seasons, but that's not an insult to Eli. It's an awareness of the fact that players tend to decline in their late 30s. If he avoids that steep decline, he'll earn every penny.
Quote:
he should force the front office to tear up the last 2 years of the existing contract. It would be ridiculous that he would only be earning a $11 mil base salary when the likes of Kirk Cousins is doubling the yearly salary for not winning a thing.
If the front office does not commit new money making him the starter, then they should outright release him. Let him take his talent and pedigree to a team that will pay him accordingly. Perhaps, he can bring a championship to another franchise as a hired gun.
First of all, he has $5MM roster bonuses in each of the final two years of his contract that he's nearly assured of receiving unless he declines sharply, and even then will probably receive one of the two at least. So let's not make it out like he's only going to receive $11MM per season in his final two years.
Secondly, this is not the first time you've suggested something like this regarding Eli (I believe you've also suggested he should hold out this summer to increase his guaranteed money). I have to ask - are you a Giants fan, or are you just an Eli fan who roots for the Giants by extension? Because the scenarios you suggest would be to the detriment of the Giants.
They've never tried to cheap out on Eli and have paid him handsomely over the years (over $200MM so far and he will finish his contract having earned more than $250MM). They did structure his contract to give themselves some safeguards in Eli's age 38 and 39 seasons, but that's not an insult to Eli. It's an awareness of the fact that players tend to decline in their late 30s. If he avoids that steep decline, he'll earn every penny.
I'm well aware of his contract. I'm aware of the roster bonuses due on the 3rd day of the league year for each of the final 2 years. In my response, I did specify the base salary. In the context of the question posed, if Eli should win a 3rd SB this year, he should demand the final 2 years of his existing contract get torn up. The front office should pay a 3 time winning SB Champ the current market rate. If they do not and Eli wants to continue playing, he should be able to hit the open market and be paid accordingly. I would hate to see him in another uniform, but it's ridiculous that Cousins get paid 2x what Eli does and Kirk hasn't won a damn thing.
Will allocating more money hurt the franchise financially? I don't think so. If Mara doesn't have the coin, he can ask Uncle Steve. Will more guaranteed money be difficult to manage with the cap? I don't think so. Let Abrams do his job and figure it out.
With regards to my rooting interest - I root for the Team. I root for the laundry. It does not mean that I endorse the front office or the current coach. I will not blindly admire the Emperor's New Clothes. When it comes to rooting for individual players, I live by the rule that the player must earn their second contract with Big Blue. It allows me to be objective as it pertains to the transitory nature of player movement in the salary cap era. Do I want the players (recent FAs or players on the rookie contract) to play well? Of course, I expect them to do their job and do it well.
So yes, I root for the Giants and Eli personally. He's earned it. You know what he hasn't earned? Being thrown under the bus by Ben and Jerry with their snide comments. Jerry started years ago with his "hang dog" comments. I think it's a crock of shit the narrative that is being formed to perhaps soften the blow for the eventual transition at QB. Yes, Eli wont' play forever and someone will replace him. But there is nothing wrong with Eli as he has shown playing lights out in GB when the rest of the offense is parading around shirtless wishing they were still in Miami.
Will allocating more money hurt the franchise financially? I don't think so. If Mara doesn't have the coin, he can ask Uncle Steve. Will more guaranteed money be difficult to manage with the cap? I don't think so.(4) Let Abrams do his job and figure it out.
With regards to my rooting interest - I root for the Team. I root for the laundry. It does not mean that I endorse the front office or the current coach. I will not blindly admire the Emperor's New Clothes. When it comes to rooting for individual players, I live by the rule that the player must earn their second contract with Big Blue. It allows me to be objective as it pertains to the transitory nature of player movement in the salary cap era. Do I want the players (recent FAs or players on the rookie contract) to play well? Of course, I expect them to do their job and do it well.
So yes, I root for the Giants and Eli personally. He's earned it. You know what he hasn't earned? Being thrown under the bus by Ben and Jerry with their snide comments. Jerry started years ago with his "hang dog" comments. I think it's a crock of shit the narrative that is being formed to perhaps soften the blow for the eventual transition at QB. Yes, Eli wont' play forever and someone will replace him. But there is nothing wrong with Eli as he has shown playing lights out in GB when the rest of the offense is parading around shirtless wishing they were still in Miami.(5)
1. I know you did. And it was either intentionally misleading or obtuse. His compensation is structured in a particular way to work within the cap. His base salary alone only tells a fraction of the story.
2. This is completely ignoring the fact that he'd be 37 in this imaginary scenario and is being paid fair market value. Should Eli give back some of the $37MM he earned in 2015 when the team went 6-10 and he threw 14 interceptions?
3. Impressive - a second red herring! Interesting that you chose to use Kirk Cousins as your comparison point rather than, say, Tom Brady. Not only is Cousins 28 (not 37), but he's playing on a second consecutive franchise tag, so his salary is inflated as a result. I also don't think the Giants should be taking their roster and cap management cues from the Redskins.
4. Yes, it's very likely that additional guaranteed money would affect the cap. At a minimum, it would reduce flexibility going forward.
5. And there we have the real motive.
Bottom line, Eli has earned the second most contract money of any player in NFL history. And if he plays out the remainder of his current contract, even with no modifications to benefit him like you wish for, he will become the league's all-time highest paid player. As great as Eli has been, can anyone honestly look at the entirety of Eli's career and say, "yup, that's the guy who earned more money than anyone else"?
I'm not sure those are congruent though. Beckham is under contract for two more years with the possibility of a long-term deal or franchise tag looming; Marshall has already said he intends to retire at the end of this contract.