Eli Manning is back in the Pro Football Hall of Fame conversation in a big way. For the second consecutive year, the legendary New York Giants quarterback has been named one of the 15 Modern-Era finalists for the Class of 2026, keeping his name alive as the Hallâs selection committee prepares to make the final call ahead of Super Bowl LX.
The class of inductees will be revealed during the NFL Honors broadcast in early February, and each finalist needs at least 80 percent of the vote from the committee to be enshrined. The committee can elect up to five Modern-Era Players; fellow finalists include NFL legends Larry Fitzgerald, Luke Keuchly, Terrell Suggs, Frank Gore, and Adam Vinatieri.
The Case For Eli Manning’s Hall of Fame Inclusion
Manningâs return to the finalist list comes after he fell short in his first year of eligibility, when he was left out of the Class of 2025 despite a career resume that includes two Super Bowl titles and two Super Bowl MVP awards.
Those iconic victories, both against one of the NFLâs greatest dynasties in the New England Patriots, are permanent highlights in his legacy and have formed the backbone of his Hall of Fame case.
That Manning has made it back to this stage signals that voters still see value in what he accomplished during a 16-year career spent entirely with the Giants. His 57,000-plus passing yards and 366 touchdowns place him in the NFL’s all-time top ten in both categories.
Another key component of Eli’s Hall of Fame case is his durability. Manning became an Ironman for the Giants, making 210 consecutive starts and never missing one due to injury, a streak that stretched from 2004 and 2017.
Will This Be Eli’s Year To Get The Gold Jacket?
The big question now is whether this will finally be Manningâs year to get the gold jacket. Even as a repeat finalist, nothing is guaranteed. The Hall of Fameâs process can be unpredictable, and some observers have pointed out that his lack of regular-season MVPs or All-Pro honors has complicated his case in past votes.
Critics argue that while his postseason heroics â especially the Giantsâ playoff runs â are unforgettable, they donât fully offset what they view as a less dominant regular season record, as Manning finished his career at exactly .500 with 117 wins and 117 losses.
Supporters counter that Manningâs championships and ability to deliver in the biggest moments are exactly what the Hall should celebrate. His name belongs alongside the gameâs greats not because of sheer stats alone, but because he consistently rose to the occasion when the stakes were highest â a narrative some voters hold in high regard. The fact that Manning is one of just a handful of quarterbacks with multiple Super Bowl MVP awards strengthens that argument.
This yearâs finalist pool is loaded with future Hall of Famers, and only three to five modern-era players will be elected following the vote. That competitive mix means Manning will have to earn every vote he can get. Some figures in and outside the media have already suggested that this might not be his year either â pointing to the depth of the ballot and the subjective nature of Hall voting.
But being a finalist again â especially in a class stacked with revered players â shows that Manningâs story isnât finished. Whether he gets in this cycle or eventually in years to come, his legacy remains one of the most talked-about and debated in modern NFL history.
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