Eli Manning decided to officially call it quits on Friday and retired from the NFL after 16 seasons with the New York Giants. Among the players to commemorate his career, Ben Roethlisberger of the Pittsburgh Steelers reacted to Manning's retirement.
Like most players tend to do, Roethlisberger took to Twitter to congratulate Manning. The longtime Steelers quarterback shared how much of a fan he was of Manning from afar.
“From the ‘04 Draft to your great Championships, you exude class both on and off the field, I have admired your career, Eli. Much respect Champ! — Ben,” Roethlisberger wrote via his official Twitter account.
Of course, Roethlisberger and Manning were both selected in the 2004 NFL Draft together. Manning went with the No. 1 overall pick to the San Diego Chargers (now Los Angeles) while Roethlisberger went to the Steelers with the No. 11 overall pick.
In a sudden turn of events, Manning was traded to the Giants in a trade that sent Philip Rivers to the Chargers. The rest is history as Manning created his own legacy in New York.
Similarly to Roethlisberger, Manning was able to win two Super Bowls in his time with the Giants. Both of Manning's Super Bowls came against Tom Brady and the New England Patriots; a team that Roethlisberger has struggled against.
Heading into 2020, Roethlisberger is returning for his 17th season in the NFL following a season-ending elbow injury in 2019. Over his career, the Steelers quarterback doesn't have much to say to the media. Therefore, the seemingly normal tweet toward Manning shows how much respect he truly has for his fellow draft mate.
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