Eli Manning Holds Back Tears After Giants Announce Geno Smith Will Start At Quarterback

Coach Bob McAdoo announced Tuesday that the New York Giants would start quarterback Geno Smith in this week’s game against the Oakland Raiders. The team’s usual starter, Eli Manning, was seen holding back tears during a press conference after he heard the news.

"Geno will start this week," McAdoo said in a statement via the team's official website. "Over the last five games, we will take a look at Geno, and we will also give Davis an opportunity."

Manning, 36, has started for the Giants 210 consecutive times, the second-longest stretch by a quarterback in NFL history since Bret Farve’s recorded 297 starts, according to the team’s website.

Eli Manning talking to the press, on the edge of tears .
[@PLeonardNYDN]pic.twitter.com/Be2ydQyTiR

— Dov Kleiman (@NFL_DovKleiman) November 28, 2017

"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."

The decision came after the Giants took some tough losses, falling to 2-9 on the season after Thursday's 10-20 loss to the Washington Redskins. McAdoo was searching for answers among an injury-hampered team that suffered a crushing defeat in a 17-51 blowout to the Los Angeles Rams Nov. 5.

General manager Jerry Reese issued a statement regarding the team’s decision to bench Manning, which came in efforts to get the team back on track. The Giants are ranked 4th in the in the NFC East and 31st among NFL teams.

"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."