The Giants’ decision to bench Eli Manning on Sunday ignited a firestorm of controversy in the football world. On Wednesday, owner John Mara addressed reporters directly to discuss the future of the team’s quarterback position as well as the job security of head coach Ben McAdoo and GM Jerry Reese. Here’s a look at the highlights with all links going to Twitter: 
- Mara says the Giants “obviously have some decisions to make this offseason” when it comes to the head coach and GM positions (link via Tom Rock of Newsday). Some say that McAdoo has lost control of the locker room, as underscored by the team’s saga with Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie earlier this year. Meanwhile, Reese has been criticized for failing to build the team through the draft in recent years.
- Mara is adamant that the original plan was for Manning to play on Sunday, but perhaps not for the whole game (link via Jordan Raanan of ESPN.com). However, he says he understands why Manning wasn’t on board and admitted that it probably could have been handled differently.
- “I don’t think you should be writing his obituary just yet,” Mara said when asked about Manning’s future in New York (link via Raanan). Still, the Giants have a big decision to make before March 14th, the date that Manning’s $5MM roster bonus comes due.
- Mara says he first suggested to Reese a week or two ago that it might be time to look at other quarterbacks (link via Raanan).
- Any suggestion that the Giants are tanking is “complete [B.S.],” Mara says (link via James Kratch of NJ.com). A reminder: The Giants are 2-9 and will start Geno Smith under center on Sunday.
not tanking but you’re starting geno smith when you’re 2-9?? hmmm
well eli hasn’t been working….
Correct, and Geno gives you a better chance to win? Nevermind either players past…
Who cares you have a top 3 pick in a draft class loaded at QB
Forget Geno see what you have in Webb loose as many games as you can then draft a qb
Loose games? Is that versus tighter games?
Eli hasn’t had a great season because look at the talent around him and the play calling! His receivers have been hurt all year and they have no real protection for the guy he’s always under pressure and the coaching staff stinks. Can’t blame it on Eli
And I’m not a Giants fan just a big time football fan and I’ve watched them play this year. While it looks like Eli is having a terrible year he really isn’t it’s just the tram around him and the coaching staff is terrible. Put that guy with healthy receiving corp and give him a coaching staff that knows what they are doing and a little time to throw maybe even. Running game watch what he does. If he goes for Jax I put money on it he has a great year.
Thanks for the insight! I sure hope he pulls a Peyton Manning and tears it up on another team like Jacksonville.
Me too. Frustrating…
I lost all respect for O’Mara. After all this time I would have thought he would’ve learned how to handle situations like this. He now looks like he’s part of the Browns or Bears.
It’s Mara
Eli’s 36 and his best years are most likely behind him. Having said that he is a class act who was hung out to dry first professionally and then personally by a classless GM and Headcoach. How can you succeed when you drop back to pass and you have 2 or 3 defensive linemen waiting for you?
I fully respect his HOF career and his accomplishments, however being a Chargers fan saying he is a class act I disagree. What he did when the Chargers drafted him was disgusting. And yes I realize the tremendous haul of players the Chargers got to draft and contend with (and of course they never pulled it together) but I’ve never respected him personally or John Elway for the same reason after the colts drafted him.
Elway also used the Yankees to bully the Colts. The Yankees too wasted a pick on him…
Per Mara’s comments the Giants are trying to win. In that case why aren’t they signing Kap? He’s clearly a better option than Smith and Webb to win now.
Only reason that makes sense is that they are blacklisting him as well.
Get over it! Kap is not good enough to just go to any team
and step right into any system
and win or do any good at all.