Determining who is inducted into the Hall of Fame across professional sports is often a very personal and debated process.

The discussions reached a peak on Thursday night when it was announced that Eli Manning, the former quarterback of the New York Giants, did not secure a place in the Pro Football Hall of Fame during his first eligible year.

This year’s selections, which is the smallest since 2005, included tight end Antonio Gates, cornerback Eric Allen, defensive end Jared Allen, and wide receiver Sterling Sharpe. They will be honored in Canton, Ohio, on August 2.

For Manning, not making it to the final voting round means he might have to wait even longer to gain Hall of Fame recognition. Other modern-era candidates, including Willie Anderson, Torry Holt, Luke Kuechly, and Adam Vinatieri, have automatically moved on to next year’s final 15 for voting consideration.

With the influx of new eligible candidates next year, which includes quarterback Drew Brees, wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald, running back Frank Gore, and tight end Jason Witten, Manning’s eligibility debate will resurface, and many experts believe he will eventually be inducted.

Let’s explore the arguments for and against Eli Manning’s entry into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

Arguments in Favor

Manning boasts two Super Bowl championships as a starting quarterback, earning the title of Most Valuable Player in both matches against the formidable duo of Bill Belichick and Tom Brady of the New England Patriots.

He ranks among just six quarterbacks who have won multiple Super Bowl MVP awards, alongside legends like Brady, Joe Montana, Terry Bradshaw, Bart Starr, and Patrick Mahomes. All of the aforementioned players, except Manning, gained first-ballot Hall of Fame status, and Brady as well as Mahomes are expected to follow suit upon their eligibility.

A total of 13 starting quarterbacks have won two or more Super Bowls, with Manning and Jim Plunkett being the only ones not yet inducted into the Hall of Fame.

Currently, Manning stands 11th in both career passing yards and touchdowns. He also holds the 11th position in passing attempts and completions, and remarkably, he never missed a game due to injuries during his 16 seasons in the NFL, maintaining a streak of 210 consecutive starts at one point.

Arguments Against

Manning has not made it onto any All-Pro teams and has only received four Pro Bowl selections throughout his career.

His record as a starting quarterback is exactly .500 at 117-117.

He also led the league in interceptions on three different occasions.

Additionally, his career quarterback rating is 84.1, with only one season finishing in the top ten for QB ratings. Noteworthy quarterbacks like Gardner Minshew, Andy Dalton, Mitchell Trubisky, and Daniel Jones have higher career ratings.