Eli Manning achieved more in the NFL than most quarterbacks can ever dream of despite perhaps not having the physical tools of some of his peers. And on the Week 14 edition of the ManningCast, Manning got a good laugh out of a backhanded compliment during his playing career from longtime NBC color analyst Cris Collinsworth.
Collinsworth appeared on the ManningCast during the fourth quarter of the Bengals-Cowboys Monday Night Football matchup. And as soon as he did, Manning came with receipts of Collinsworth criticizing his less-than-ideal agility under center.
“The rush for the Cowboys are so frustrated at their inability to get to Eli Manning,” said Collinsworth on the call of the Week 1 matchup between the New York Giants and the Dallas Cowboys in 2013. “Over the years, he has escaped and made more plays for a guy who really is not that athletic.”
Manning didn’t take the old clip personally, instead jokingly asking Collinsworth whether he had watched any film on him before calling the 2013 game.
“Cris, that was you announcing one of my games where you called me a guy that is not that athletic,” said Manning while Collinsworth laughed in the background. “I guess I’ve got to ask Cris, before you called my game, did you not watch of my film? Did NBC not have any researchers? I mean, what the heck there.”
Collinsworth responded by saying that Eli Manning’s win in Super Bowl XLVI over the New England Patriots actually made him change his mind about his athleticism due to Manning’s memorable throw to Mario Manningham to set up their game-winning touchdown.
“You know, since the whole Mario Manningham throw in the Cover 2 hole there to win the Super Bowl championship, I have completely reversed my position on your athleticism,” said Collinsworth. “I have never seen a throw that was better than that.”
Cris Collinsworth answers for calling Eli Manning “a guy who really is not that athletic.” pic.twitter.com/rXfqqm7Ut8
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) December 10, 2024
The only problem with this explanation from Collinsworth is that his call was actually made after the Manningham catch in Super Bowl XLVI, which of course took place in 2012. Collinsworth of course should have known this because he was on the call of the Super Bowl alongside Al Michaels.
Regardless of Collinsworth’s real opinion of Manning’s athleticism, the two-time Super Bowl champion made a career out of proving his critics wrong. So it’s fair to say that Manning got the last laugh in this situation.
About Reice Shipley
Reice Shipley is a staff writer for Comeback Media that graduated from Ithaca College with a degree in Sports Media. He previously worked at Barrett Sports Media and is a fan of all things Syracuse sports.