If you want to understand, no, rather appreciate the career of Eli Manning, it isn’t just the two Super Bowl victories over Tom Brady. It isn’t just the streak. It isn’t just his leadership.

Actually, let’s take it back to the Summer of 2007.

There was a time in New York sports when Tom Coughlin, Giants Head Coach, and Eli were seen as phonies. They made the playoffs in 2005, but were defeated soundly by the Carolina Panthers and Jake Delhomme (Remember when we thought he was a good QB?). In 2006, the Giants started 6–2 in the first half of the season, but finished 2–6 in the second half, eventually losing to the Eagles in the playoffs in overtime. After the season, Tiki Barber, the Giants great running back, officially retired. He made the announcement halfway through the season, rubbing many people the wrong way.

Upon retiring, Tiki landed a TV gig with NBC. See, NBC just got the NFL back the year prior and were looking to expand its football profile after not having the league for a decade. While on air, he insisted that it was comical that Eli would be a vocal leader in the locker room.

Eli said, “I’m not going to lose any sleep about what Tiki has to say. I guess I could have questioned his leadership skills last year with calling out the coach and having articles about him retiring in the middle of the season, and he’s lost the heart [to play].”

You know what happened after that. The Giants, the Road Warriors, won the Super Bowl and upset what was meant to be the coronation of a perfect season for the Patriots.

I think my favorite game in the Eli Manning era was the NFC Championship game against the San Francisco 49ers on route to Super Bowl XLVI. Despite being knocked down and sacked, he kept getting up. The absolute resiliency Manning displayed in the pocket was a thing of beauty and, if Super Bowl XLII didn’t endear Manning to Giants fans, this game did.

So now, it is the end of an era. Tom Coughlin left in 2016 when he was quasi-fired, but resigned. The whole thing was a mess. John Mara lost me when Coughlin, a man of high character, gave Mara the cold shoulder at the press conference announcing his departure from the team.

The Giants have always had a history of messy departures. Phil Simms was cut from the team 1993 and according to legend, Wellington Mara cried over it.

I love Eli Manning. He’s been the starting Quarterback for my favorite team for more than half of my life. He’s displayed resiliency through rocky times and made us cheer for the underdog in all of us.

He wasn’t Tom Brady or his brother, but who cares? He was our guy. He showed up every day and worked hard. If he failed? He moved onto the next play, series, or game.

Was it the right time to move onto Daniel Jones? Yes. If the Giants want to see what they have, they might as well see it now instead of waiting until later this year or next season. Personally, I think Dave Gettleman is a joke of a General Manager and Head Coach Pat Shurmur couldn’t motivate me to wipe my nose if it was running profusely.

I mean Gettleman traded Odell Beckham Jr. for a bag of honey bun. Jabrill Peppers can’t play defense. Dexter Lawrence? We’ll see. I have faith in Dabo’s players. The guy from Old Dominion? He’s a question mark, but he’s played like garbage.

It’s also a little unfair to Daniel Jones that he’s being thrown into the fire here, because outside of Saquon Barkley, he has no one to throw to. Sheppard is out. We’ll see how Golden Tate is, but he’s not Odell Beckham Jr.

With Eli being benched, it asks a bevy of questions: Would he like to be traded to his hometown of New Orleans or reunite with Coughlin in Jacksonville? Would he go to the Giants second family in the Pittsburgh Steelers?

Will he retire?

If Eli Manning has played his last game in the NFL then, he would finish in the top 10 for passing touchdowns and passing yards. He’ll finish in the top five for games started consecutively by a Quarterback. He’ll finish as a two time Super Bowl Champion and two time Super Bowl MVP.

Eli’s Hall of Fame case is a little more controversial, however. Along with this, he’s led the league three times in interceptions and the other times he’s made the playoffs outside of the Super Bowl runs, he’s 0–4. A lot of people will say he’s played average and while I understand that argument, he’s also never really had weapons outside of Beckham, Jeremy Shockey, Plaxico Burress, and 2011 Victor Cruz. Two of those players, Beckham and Shockey, didn’t pan out with Manning.

He’s also played behind many terrible offensive lines. This year is the first year, probably since 2011, where there’s been a semblance of a decent offensive line. It’s why, I’m assuming, they’re also making Daniel Jones the starter.

No matter what though, Eli Manning will always be a King in New York and New Jersey. He’ll never have to pay for a thing (although he will insist). He will be revered for his Championships, and he will be adored by fans as the guy who lead the team to two Championships, creating memories and bonds to last a lifetime.

He will go down as the second greatest player in Giants history (behind Lawrence Taylor and just above Frank Gifford) and the longest tenured Giant. Whenever John Mara and Steve Tisch decide to retire Manning’s number (I’m surprised Michael Strahan’s number already isn’t retired) he will be flooded by nothing but love from fans. That’s what he deserves.

He’s our guy. Forever.