What Is Eli Manning's Net Worth and Salary?
Eli Manning is a retired American professional football quarterback who has a net worth of $160 million. Having played his entire 16-year career for the New York Giants, Eli Manning retired from the NFL on January 22, 2020. At the time of his retirement, he was the highest-earning player in league history, with career earnings of $252 million in salary alone.
Drafted first overall by the San Diego Chargers in the 2004 NFL Draft, Eli was immediately traded to the New York Giants. Manning quickly established himself as the Giants' starting quarterback and, over the years, became synonymous with the franchise. His calm demeanor, often juxtaposed with his fierce determination on the field, earned him both admiration and respect from fans and peers alike.
The pinnacle of Manning's career came in the form of two Super Bowl victories against the New England Patriots in Super Bowls XLII and XLVI. Both games saw Eli demonstrate exceptional skill under pressure, with late-game drives that sealed the victories. His performances in these Super Bowls earned him two Super Bowl MVP awards, placing him in an elite group of players who have achieved this honor multiple times.
Early Life
Elisha Nelson Manning IV was born on January 3, 1981, in New Orleans, Louisiana. He is the youngest of three sons. His father is NFL quarterback Elisha Archibald "Archie" Manning III. His oldest brothers are former NFL quarterback Peyton Manning and Fox Sports host Cooper Manning. Eli attended the Isidore Newman School in New Orleans, where he played high school football and basketball. During his high school football career, Manning passed for 7,389 yards and 89 touchdowns.
College Football Career
When Manning joined the team at the University of Mississippi, better known as Ole Miss, he was very much under the shadow of his father, considered a legend at the school. Furthermore, his older brother Cooper Manning had actually previously committed to playing for Ole Miss before a diagnosis with the disorder spinal stenosis cut his career short. He only appeared in six games his freshman year, but after the departure of senior player Romaro Miller, Manning became the starting quarterback his sophomore year. His senior year, he led the Rebels to a 10-3 record, as well as a victory in the SBC Cotton Bowl Classic over Oklahoma State. At the end of his college career, he won several awards, such as the Maxwell Award as the best all-around player in the nation, the Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award, and the SEC Most Valuable Player Award. He was also a candidate for the 2003 Heisman Trophy, ultimately finishing third in the voting. His college statistics include 10,119 passing yards, 81 touchdown passes, and a passer rating of 137.7. He graduated from Ole Miss with a degree in marketing.
Professional Football Career
Manning went into the 2004 NFL Draft as the most coveted player. The San Diego Chargers had the rights to the first overall pick in the draft, however Manning and his father publicly stated that he would refuse to play for the Chargers if drafted by them, due to concerns over their support and treatment of their quarterback Ryan Leaf. Regardless, the San Diego Chargers drafted Manning due to their deal with the New York Giants, where the Giants would draft and then trade Philip Rivers and a 2004 third-round pick, a 2005 first-round pick, and a 2005 fifth-round pick. As a result, Eli signed a six-year, $45 million contract with the Giants.
Manning's NFL debut came in week 1 of the season against the Philadelphia Eagles when he relieved Kurt Warner in the fourth quarter. He played in five other games during his rookie year, finishing the season with 1,043 passing yards, six touchdowns, and nine interceptions. After Warner's departure from the team, Manning was named the starter for the 2005 season. He finished the season among the top five quarterbacks in both passing yards and touchdowns, proving his worth.
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In 2008, Manning led the Giants to their first Super Bowl appearance since 2001. At Super Bowl XLII, the Giants outperformed expectations and beat the then-undefeated New England Patriots 17-14. After Plaxico Burress caught a 13-yard touchdown pass with just 35 seconds remaining on the clock, Eli became the first quarterback to throw a last-minute, championship-winning touchdown in the NFL title game when a field goal would not be able to at least tie the game. For his performance, Manning was named the Most Valuable Player of the game. He followed up this success again in 2012 at the Super Bowl XLVI when he led the Giants to a victory over the Patriots 21-17, once again being named MVP of the game.
Following his successful 16-year career with the Giants, Manning retired from the NFL on January 22, 2020. The Giants subsequently retired his #10 jersey. Eli finished his last professional season with 1,042 passing yards, six touchdowns, and five interceptions, having only played four games. Some of the records he set during his career include the most fourth-quarter touchdown passes in a season (15 in 2011) and the most passing yards in a single postseason (1,219 yards in 2011).
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Other Ventures
Off the field, Manning was one of the highest-paid celebrity endorsers in the world during his professional career. He regularly earned $8-10 million per year promoting brands like Gatorade, DirecTV, Toyota, Reebok, Kraft, Citizen, and Samsung. He also co-starred in campaigns with his brother Peyton for NFLShop.com and Oreo. Additionally, Eli, Peyton and Archie Manning got together and co-authored the children's book "Family Huddle," which tells the story of the three Manning brothers playing football together growing up.
Personal Life
Manning first met Abby McGrew while the two were students at the University of Mississippi. He proposed to her in 2007, and the couple wed in a private ceremony in San José del Cabo, Mexico, on April 19, 2008. Together, they have three daughters and a son, and the family resides in Summit, New Jersey.
