Manning will hold a press conference Friday to announce his retirement from professional football, Dan Graziano of ESPN.com reports.
Manning reportedly didn't intend to return to the Giants in 2020 as a backup, but he gave some thought to exploring free agency if the opportunity existed to compete for a starting job. It didn't take him long to decide against that second option, with the 39-year-old perhaps realizing he would be the underdog in any of these theoretical job battles. He'll step away from the game with two Super Bowl MVPs and a career 117-117 record as a starter in the regular season, with his good health and longevity atop the Giants' depth chart allowing him to rank seventh in NFL history in passing yards (57,023) and passing touchdowns (366). Meanwhile, New York will move forward with Daniel Jones as its signal-caller.