44 Friday Sports Friday, January 24, 2020 Eli Manning calling time on 16-year NFL career One of five players in history with at least two Super Bowl MVPs NEW YORK: Quarterback Eli Manning, who Manning, younger brother of another super- won two Super Bowls and was the face of the star quarterback, Peyton Manning, started 234 New York Giants franchise for more than a games for the Giants — the fourth most by a decade, is retiring from the NFL, the team said quarterback for one club. He was drafted first Wednesday. The Giants said Manning — who overall by the San Diego Chargers in the 2004 spent all 16 seasons of his NFL career with the draft but he made it known he didn’t want to play Giants after a draft-day trade in 2004 — will in San Diego and was traded to the Giants. formally announce his retirement on Wednesday. “For 16 seasons, Eli Manning defined what it ‘A privilege to coach’ is to be a New York Giant both on and off the He finishes his career seventh all-time with field,” said John Mara, the Giants’ president and 366 touchdown passes, seventh in passing yards chief executive officer. “Eli is our only two-time with 57,023, and tied with Joe Montana for 11th Super Bowl MVP and one of the very best play- in career wins with 117. But he’ll be best remem- ers in our franchise’s history. He represented our bered for two of the biggest upsets in Super Bowl franchise as a consummate professional with history. In February of 2008 the Giants stared dignity and accountability. It meant something down Tom Brady and the New England Patriots, to Eli to be the Giants quarterback, and it meant ending New England’s bid for a perfect season. even more to us.” Manning’s MVP performance included a Manning, 39, led the Giants to Super Bowl miraculous completion to David Tyree, Manning victories over the New England Patriots after the escaping the grip of Pats defenders to find Tyree, EAST RUTHERFORD: In this file photo taken on December 28, 2019 Eli Manning #10 of the New York Giants 2007 and 2011 seasons. He is one of just five who held the ball against his helmet long enough waves to fans while leaving the field after the second half of the game against the Philadelphia Eagles at players in NFL history with at least two Super to make the pass complete. Manning then found MetLife Stadium on December 29, 2019 in East Rutherford, New Jersey. — AFP Bowl MVPs, a club that also includes Joe Mon- Plaxico Burress with the game-winning pass tana, Bart Starr, Tom Brady and Terry Bradshaw. with 35 seconds to play. Manning and the Giants all of us in the world championship ‘07-’08 and every day, took tremendous pride in preparing, But he spent most of 2019 as backup to rookie beat the Patriots again to cap the 2011 season. ‘11-’12 seasons,” former Giants coach Tom practice, had a great sense of humor, was a quarterback Daniel Jones, starting just four “It was an honor and privilege to coach Eli, Coughlin said. cynic in the locker room. But the guys loved games. Set to become a free agent, Manning had and to go through the wonderful and magnificent “He’s an incredible big-game performer. You him, and they loved him for it, and they played made it clear he didn’t relish the backup role. moments that he and his teammates provided for talk about a guy that’s great to coach, focused for him.” —AFP Police issue Raiders officially arrest warrant for christen team Antonio Brown MIAMI: US police in Florida issued an arrest ‘Las Vegas Raiders’ warrant for former NFL player Antonio Brown LAS VEGAS: With help from Nevada governor after an alleged battery and burglary at his Steve Sisolak, the formerly Oakland Raiders an- home on Tuesday. Brown, 31, faces charges of nounced their official name change to become burglary with battery, burglary of an unoccu- the Las Vegas Raiders on Wednesday, at the site pied conveyance and criminal mischief less of their new home. “I do hereby proclaim Janu- than $1,000, said officer Christian Lata of the ary 22, 2020, as the day to celebrate the renam- police in Hollywood, a city between Miami and ing of the Las Vegas Raiders,” Sisolak said from Fort Lauderdale. Allegiant Stadium before the team unveiled a The incident, in which police responded to banner with the new name. a 911 emergency call on Tuesday afternoon, “The Raiders were born in Oakland, and had already resulted in the arrest of Brown’s played 13 seasons in L.A. Both cities will always trainer, Glenn Holt. The alleged victim told of- be part of our DNA but, today, we begin a new tion of their $1.9 billion stadium in Las Vegas. ficers he was battered by Brown and Holt. chapter in our storied history,” owner Mark The team is expected to officially move its facil- According to local television station Davis said from the podium. “For today, January ities and operations to Las Vegas sometime this WPLG, Holt’s arrest report said the charge 22, 2020, we are now the Las Vegas Raiders. offseason. The NFL draft will be held in Las stemmed from a disagreement between Brown And, today, Las Vegas officially becomes our na- Vegas at the end of April. Construction on the and the driver of a moving company truck over tion’s capital.” stadium is expected to be complete in July. payment for the release of Brown’s property. Several players, past and present, were on The relocation is the third in the Raiders’ his- Star wide-receiver Brown said he was fin- hand for the announcement, and they took tory, after they moved from Oakland to Los An- ished with the NFL after his release by the turns on stage to help hammer a stake holding geles in 1982 and then back to Oakland in 1995. New England Patriots in September amid an a sign that read, “Las Vegas Raiders est. 2020.” Since the NFL merger, there have been only six ongoing NFL investigation into rape and sex- The group included quarterback Derek Carr other relocations. The Raiders owe a $378 mil- ual assault allegations. Brown had landed in and former Super Bowl-winning quarterback lion relocation fee. Sports Business Daily re- New England just three days after he was cut Jim Plunkett. ported last month that NFL owners gave the by the Oakland Raiders. Over the past month The Raiders were approved to relocate from team permission to exceed the league-man- police had been called to his Florida house be- GLENDALE: In this file photo taken on August 15, 2019 wide Oakland in March of 2017 and played the last dated debt limit of $350 million as it goes cause of clashes between Brown and his girl- receiver Antonio Brown #84 of the Oakland Raiders warms three seasons in Oakland during the construc- through the relocation process. —Reuters friend of eight years, the mother of three of his up before the NFL preseason game against the Arizona Car- children. —AFP dinals at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona. —AFP.