Eli was nominated, but will he be a first-ballot HOFer?

Former New York Giants quarterback  has officially been nominated for the Pro Football Hall of Fame class of 2025.

It shouldn’t come as much of a surprise that Manning was among the 167 modern era nominees for the upcoming class. It shouldn’t even be much of a surprise that he was nominated in his first year of eligibility.

Eli has a complicated case for being a first-ballot Hall of Famer. He retired with a .500 record (117-117-0) and led the NFL in interceptions in three separate seasons (2007, 2010, and 2013). However, he also ranks 10th all-time in passing yards and passing touchdowns, is 12th in game winning drives, and his 27 fourth quarter comebacks ranks comfortably between Brett Favre (28) and Joe Montana (26).

Eli is also famously a two-time Super Bowl champion and MVP, and his unlikely wins over Tom Brady in 2007 and 2011 are the stuff of legend.

It remains to be seen whether Easy E will be inducted into the Hall of Fame next year. But he should go down history as one of the greatest Giants and one of the most under-appreciated quarterbacks of his generation.