Eli Manning Reveals Why He Refused to Sign with Chargers After They Drafted Him No. 1 in 2004 NFL Draft
Eli Manning, 45, reveals why didn't play for the Chargers after being selected as their number 1 overall pick during the 2004 NFL draft Credit: Erik Pendzich/Shutterstock NEED TO KNOW Eli Manning said a gut feeling led him to decline playing for the Chargers after being drafted in 2004 Manning recalled witnessing friction among Chargers leadership during a dinner, raising doubts about their commitment to winning He clarified his parents weren't supportive of his decision, but his father defended him publicly during the controversy Eli Manning revealed the real reason he decided against playing for the Chargers after being selected as the No. 1 overall pick in the 2004 NFL Draft. During an interview on the Bussin' with the Boys podcast released on Wednesday, May 13, the two-time Super Bowl winner said a gut feeling is what kept him from playing with the team, which was still playing in San Diego at the time.
"I just didn't feel like they were the most committed team to winning at the time," Manning, 45, said. Earlier in the podcast, Manning recalled a dinner with former Chargers coach Marty Schottenheimer, the team's general manager and owners in New Orleans. During the meeting, Manning saw friction in the group, he said.
“We are at a Marriott restaurant. Schottenheimer's mad like, ‘We're in New Orleans and we're eating at a Marriott? ' He's like pissed.
They are kind of bickering,” he recalled. “It just didn't seem there was a lot of agreement on things and they were committed to building a great winning franchise at that moment. ” Manning continued, going as far as to clear up other rumors surrounding his decision to play for the New York Giants 22 years ago.
Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. "My parents really weren't supportive," Manning said of his decision not to play for the Chargers. "My dad didn't like the idea.