Eli Manning wants to finish his career with the New York Giants. With Pat Shurmur now his coach, that looks more likely.
Shurmur was the Vikings’ offensive coordinator until being hired by the Giants last week. Manning said Friday that Shurmur has offered assurance that he will be the starting quarterback in 2018.
“In so many words,’’ Manning told the Pioneer Press. “I think that’s the plan.”
With Ben McAdoo coaching last season, Manning was the starter until being benched for a Dec. 3 game against Oakland. The Giants were 2-9, and Geno Smith got the nod, ending Manning’s streak of 210 straight starts and putting doubts on his future in New York.
McAdoo then was fired, and interim coach Steve Spagnuolo reinserted Manning as the starter for the final four games. Manning has two years left on his contract with the Giants and wants to finish his career with the team he has twice led to Super Bowl championships since arriving as a rookie in 2004.
“That would be ideal,” said Manning, 37, who has two years left on his contract. “I’ve got to keep earning the right to play quarterback with the Giants. … But I think there’s something special to be with just one team.”
Manning is in the Twin Cities during Super Bowl week on behalf of Courtyard. On Friday, he met a contest winner who will spend Saturday night at U.S. Bank Stadium in a converted hotel suite before watching Sunday’s game between New England and Philadelphia.
Manning, who was Super Bowl MVP in wins over the Patriots following both the 2007 and 2011 seasons, won’t attend the game. He will leave Sunday morning and watch it at his home in New Jersey.
Manning said he had met Shurmur only briefly before but after several conversations with his new coach believes the two will mesh well.
“He’s been around a lot of different offenses,” Manning said. “He’s had success in different places and has the ability to adjust. I’m going to work my tail off for him.”
Manning said he took notice of the job Shurmur did last season working with quarterback Case Keenum, whose play for the Vikings (14-4) he called “outstanding.”
Manning lived in Minnetonka when he was 3 and his father finished his career with the Vikings. He doesn’t have any memories, though, of Archie Manning playing in eight games for them in 1983 and 1984.
“He always said he enjoyed (Minnesota),” he said.