Giants Benching Eli Manning, Starting Geno Smith At QB In Week 13

The New York Giants announced Tuesday that they’re benching Eli Manning and starting Geno Smith at quarterback in Week 13.

“Geno will start this week,” Giants HC Ben McAdoo said. “Over the last five games, we will take a look at Geno, and we will also give Davis an opportunity.”

“This is not the way it should be, but unfortunately, it’s where we are,” McAdoo said. “Our number one priority every week is to go win a game, but we owe it to the organization to get an evaluation of everybody on the roster, and that includes at the quarterback position. I’ll say it again, I have the utmost respect for Eli and everything he has done for this organization throughout his career. He is the consummate professional. He doesn’t like the position we are in, and neither do any of us. Eli has had to deal with a lot this season. Through it all, he has done everything we have asked of him in getting that unit ready to play. He has been steady, just like he has always been.”

Manning was given the opportunity to continue his consecutive games started streak against the Raiders but he declined.

“Coach McAdoo told me I could continue to start while Geno and Davis are given an opportunity to play,” Manning said. “My feeling is that if you are going to play the other guys, play them. Starting just to keep the streak going and knowing you won’t finish the game and have a chance to win it is pointless to me, and it tarnishes the streak. Like I always have, I will be ready to play if and when I am needed. I will help Geno and Davis prepare to play as well as they possibly can.”

“I have said it many times, I want to play, I want to compete, I want to be out there for my teammates to help them prepare to win,” Manning said. “I understand that there are tough decisions that have to be made in the best interest of the organization, especially as a season like this winds down. This is one of those tough, uncomfortable decisions.”

According to Giants GM Jerry Reese, this move simply comes down to the team’s 2-9 record.

“This is not a statement about anything other than we are 2-9, and we have to do what is best for the organization moving forward, and that means evaluating every position,” Reese said. “I told Eli this morning that an organization could not ask for any more in a franchise quarterback. He has been that and more. Nobody knows what the future holds, but right now, this is what we think is best for the franchise.”

Manning, 36, is a former first-round pick of the Chargers back in 2004. He was traded to the Giants during the draft and has spent all 14 years of his career in New York.

Manning is currently in the third year of his five-year, $101.5 million contract that included $65 million guaranteed and stands to make base salaries of $10.5 million and $11.5 million over the final two years of the agreement.

In 2017, Manning has appeared in 11 games for the Giants and thrown for 2,411 yards while completing 62.5 percent of his passes to go along with 14 touchdowns and seven interceptions. Pro Football Focus has him rated as the No. 18 quarterback out of 39 qualifying players.

We’ll have more regarding Manning’s future with the Giants as the news is available.