As the NFL draft looms just months away, the Manning family is already making headlines. Eli Manning, the two-time Super Bowl champion and former Giants quarterback, has a surprising preference for where his nephew Arch Manning should start his pro career. It's not the Giants — it's their crosstown rivals, the Jets.
Appearing on the popular podcast Pardon My Take, Eli was asked about Arch's potential landing spot. Without hesitation, he named the Jets, though he was quick to admit his reasoning is far from objective. "For purely selfish reasons, I wouldn't mind if he went to the Jets," Eli said, a comment that immediately sparked a firestorm among NFL fans.
The reaction was swift and unforgiving. Many fans took to social media to express their concerns, with one X user writing, "If Arch didn't have Manning on the back of his jersey, he goes late 4th round and is a career backup. But knowing the Jets, they will take him and make the franchise suffer another QB development failure." Another pleaded, "Oh no please, please don't ruin Arch Manning's NFL career."
The skepticism isn't unfounded. The Jets have a notorious history of struggling to develop quarterbacks, a narrative that has followed the franchise for decades. And the Manning family's connection to the Jets is anything but warm. In fact, the Mannings have been a thorn in the Jets' side for years.
Peyton Manning, Eli's older brother, repeatedly thwarted the Jets during his prime with the Colts, including a memorable AFC Championship game in 2009 that denied the Jets a Super Bowl berth. Two years later, Eli himself delivered a crushing blow, leading the Giants to a dominant regular-season win over the Jets that effectively ended their playoff hopes and sparked a 15-year postseason drought.
Then, in 2019, Peyton added another layer to the family's complicated history with the Jets by personally recommending Adam Gase as a head coaching candidate. Gase's tenure was a disaster, ending with a 9-23 record over two seasons. It's no wonder Jets fans are wary of any "advice" from the Manning family.
Despite the backlash, Eli's comment highlights the deep bond he shares with his nephew. Arch Manning, a highly touted quarterback at Texas, has been the subject of intense speculation about his future. While some analysts question whether he's truly a top-tier prospect — one recent ranking placed him ninth among SEC quarterbacks — others believe he has the pedigree and talent to succeed at the next level.
There's also chatter that Arch might stay in college longer, with some fans and experts calling for him to remain at Texas through 2027. But if he does declare for the draft, the Jets are just one of many teams that could be in the mix.
For now, Eli's "selfish" wish has added another layer of intrigue to an already captivating storyline. Whether Arch ends up in green and white or elsewhere, one thing is certain: the Manning family's influence on the NFL is far from over.
