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USA Today Sports Media Group
USA Today Sports Media Group
Sport
Tyler Henry

Eli Manning rooting for ‘dear friend’ Saquon Barkley to win Super Bowl

As New York Giants legend Eli Manning anxiously waits to find out if he will be inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in his first year of eligibility, he has a friendly competition going against his older brother, Peyton, at the 2025 Pro Bowl Games.

The two-time Super Bowl champion also appeared on Up & Adams with Kay Adams this week as Super Bowl LIX inches closer.

Manning talked about his rooting interest in this year’s Super Bowl which includes one of the Giants’ biggest rivals, the Philadelphia Eagles.

“It’s hard for me to say I’m rooting for the Eagles, a team you play against my whole career for so many years. But, obviously, Saquon’s a dear friend and teammate,” Manning told Adams. “You wished for players to have that feeling and have those emotions going through them as they win their first championship.

“In my world, I root for players. I don’t root for teams anymore. Obviously, I root for the Giants and everything but besides that, (it’s) guys I’ve gotten to know.”

Manning and Barkley, of course, spent two seasons together at the end of Eli’s career.

The former Giants quarterback isn’t the only ex-Giant in Barkley’s corner. Two-time Super Bowl champion Brandon Jacobs has made his feelings known about rooting for his former team’s division rival and Barkley’s success.

For what it’s worth, Manning did end up picking the Kansas City Chiefs to win the big game.

There is plenty of mixed feelings among Giants fans ahead of Super Bowl Sunday. However, it seems like most of Barkley’s former teammates — although they may not be rooting specifically for the Eagles — are indeed rooting for him to win it all.

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