Giants quarterback Eli Manning is pushing back against a report that he wants to be the highest-paid player in the NFL.
Asked today if that report is true, Manning said, “No. That’s never come out of my mouth. I’ve never said it to my agent.”
Manning added that his agent has never said it either.
“It was never said by him, claiming this was the goal,” Manning said, via Ralph Vacchiano of the New York Daily News.
Manning also said that his dad, former NFL quarterback Archie Manning, called him and was upset about the report. Archie doesn’t like the idea of his sons looking greedy or selfish.
But the truth is, there’s nothing greedy or selfish about wanting to maximize your earnings. And Eli, heading into the final season of his contract, is poised to maximize his earnings next year with either a huge long-term extension or a one-year salary in the $25 million range with the franchise tag. Manning may not view being the highest-paid player in the NFL as his primary goal, but there’s a good chance that he will, in fact, be the highest-paid player in the NFL next year, if he plays well this season and hits free agency in March.