Marshall: Eli is best QB I’ve been paired with
The list is long and not illustrious and leads to a fairly obvious conclusion:
Eli Manning soon will be the best quarterback Brandon Marshall ever has played with on an NFL field.
“Not probably,’’ Marshall said. “He is.’’
Marshall on Wednesday signed a two-year, $12 million deal with the Giants, stating he accepted less money than was in other offers on the table because: “To get straight to the point, it was all about a championship. They presented the best opportunity.’’
In 167 games across 11 seasons and four teams, Marshall has amassed 941 receptions for 12,061 yards and 82 touchdowns. He is a six-time Pro Bowler and the only player in NFL history with six seasons of 100 or more catches. Yet he never, ever has made it to the playoffs. The best he did in four years in Denver was go 9-7, as a rookie in 2006. He went 7-9 and 6-10 in two years with the Dolphins. He was 10-6, 8-8 and 5-11 in three years with the Bears. The past two years with the Jets were up (10-6) and then down (5-11). His career record: 80-87.
Through it all, Marshall accumulated stats with an array of quarterbacks that pale in comparison to Manning. Marshall caught passes from Jake Plummer and Jay Cutler with the Broncos, Chad Henne and Matt Moore with the Dolphins and Cutler and Josh McCown with the Bears. It was Ryan Fitzpatrick in 2015 with the Jets and Fitzpatrick, Bryce Petty and Geno Smith in 2016.
Manning is a two-time Super Bowl MVP and champion and, at 36 years old, will have Marshall added to a young receiving starting corps of Odell Beckham Jr. and Sterling Shepard, with Roger Lewis and Tavarres King in reserve.
Already, Marshall said, Manning has reached out to him about getting together for throwing in April.
“Eli was one of the first to hit me up,’’ Marshall said.
With the Jets, Marshall famously supported Fitzpatrick as the two combined for great success in 2015. Marshall said he sees some of Fitzpatrick in Manning, as far as work ethic.
“Being able to play with a guy who’s a two-time Super Bowl champion and has done some amazing things in this league for a long time, he’s a warrior and I’m looking forward to following him,’’ Marshall said.