Eli Manning Retires After 16 NFL Seasons

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. -- New York Giants quarterback Eli Manning is retiring after 16 seasons and two Super Bowl MVPs.

Manning, 39, steps away holding almost every passing record in team history and a pair of Super Bowl rings. His victories over the New England Patriots after the 2007 and '11 seasons are the most iconic moments from a legendary career. They will put him in the conversation for the Hall of Fame in five years, when he's eligible.

Manning is one of just five players in NFL history with at least two Super Bowl MVPs. He's in an elite club with Joe Montana, Bart Starr, Tom Brady and Terry Bradshaw.

His decision to call it a career comes after a season in which Manning spent most of his time as the backup to rookie Daniel Jones. Manning made it clear after the season that being a backup wasn't much fun and there wasn't an interest in returning in a similar role, even if John Mara, the team's president and chief executive officer, left the door open for it to happen.

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