The angst of Thursday night's NFL Honors Ceremony might take a little while to calm down, but former New York Giants quarterback Eli Manning doesn't seem to be all that worried or upset.
For those who might have missed it, the Pro Football Hall of Fame class of 2025 was announced Thursday in conjunction with annual league awards. Manning saw his name on the ballot in his first year of eligibility.
However, the committee did not put Manning into this year's class. He will have to wait at least another year until it is his turn for a gold jacket.
Of course, Manning is one of the more polarizing quarterbacks of his era. Many different debates have occurred when it comes to his legacy, his place in the Hall of Fame and where he deserves to rank on any all-time list of greats.
One thing you cannot argue, though, is the way Manning responded to his Hall of Fame snub on Thursday.
Eli Manning handled his Pro Football Hall of Fame snub with the utmost class
When asked about the 2025 Hall of Fame class, Manning responded with high character, starting by praising an old foe:
“I was happy for the guys that got in. I competed against Jared Allen, I sent him a text, I feel like I kind of got him in because he sacked me so many times, I helped his resume."
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As funny as Manning's words are, you have to appreciate the truth and kindness behind them. He is not one to drown in his sorrows, but instead, give credit where it is due.
He also spoke about 2025 inductee and former Chargers tight end Antonio Gates, noting how impressive it was for a player like him to make the switch from basketball to football and, not only that, but go on to have a Hall of Fame career.
“Antonio Gates, when I was coming out, thinking about going to the Chargers, doing workouts with them, they were telling me ‘We’ve got this guy on the practice squad who didn’t play college football but he’s going to be a superstar, Hall of Famer,’ and I was like, Yeah, right. So happy for him," Manning said.
Had Manning been inducted, he would have been a well-deserved selection. But, his time will eventually come. He may not have heard his name announced as a first-ballot inductee, but rest assured, he will be fitted for that jacket one day.