Editor's note: This story originally published Nov. 27, 2024. It has been updated to reflect the current status of Eli Manning's Hall of Fame candidacy.
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. -- Eli Manning has faced doubters before. Entering the 2007 playoffs, when the quarterback led the New York Giants on a Super Bowl run that ended in an upset win over the previously undefeated New England Patriots, there were questions about whether he was built for pressure situations.
It's laughable knowing the end result. But former Tampa Bay Buccaneers cornerback Ronde Barber said before their wild-card matchup with the Giants in that season's playoffs that Manning "can be had, we know that.