Giants quarterback Eli Manning is emphasizing the importance of he and his teammates working this offseason like a team that has something to prove, not like a team that has something to celebrate.
Manning said on NBC Sports Talk that only two days of this offseason are going to be different for him as a Super Bowl champion than they would be if the Giants were in the position of any of the other 31 NFL teams.
“It really shouldn’t change things in your preparation,” Manning said. “The only difference is you have a night when you go get your Super Bowl ring and a day when you get to go to the White House and visit the president. Other than that, everything should be the same.”
The reality is it’s more than two days that are different: For Manning there’s also the day he spent at Disney World as the Super Bowl MVP, and for himself and many of his teammates there are many more media events and personal appearances in an offseason following a Super Bowl win than there are in a typical offseason. But Manning, who also said recently that he’s focusing more on improving the Giants’ 9-7 regular season record than anything else, clearly has the right approach this offseason: The Giants aren’t resting on their laurels.
Here’s the video of Manning’s interview: