Former New York Giants general manager Ernie Accorsi died on Saturday at the age of 84, the team announced. The former executive and Ring of Honor inductee, who was instrumental in acquiring Eli Manning, which led to two Super Bowl runs, passed away surrounded by his family. NFL commissioner Roger Goodell called Accorsi "one of the most respected football minds in NFL history and a dear friend whose wisdom and perspective I valued tremendously."
Accorsi spent nearly four decades (37) in the NFL, with his final stop as general manager of the Giants. After serving under George Young for four years, Accorsi first took the job in 1998 and helped run the organization through the 2006 season, after which he retired. Over his tenure, the Giants won two NFC East titles, made the playoffs four times, and advanced to Super Bowl XXXV.
"Ernie helped shape the course of New York Giants history through his vision, leadership and unwavering belief in building a championship organization," Giants president John Mara said in a statement. "Beyond his accomplishments as a football executive, he was a trusted advisor and dear friend. His legacy will forever be part of the Giants, and he will be greatly missed."
Accorsi was inducted into the team's Ring of Honor in 2016 alongside head coach Tom Coughlin and Justin Tuck.
"Ernie was very decisive, very opinionated," Coughlin said in a statement. "His mind was as sharp as a tack. He loved to laugh. He was a great storyteller, great storyteller. He loved to have an audience and laugh, and then everyone else would laugh with him. He was great with punchlines. He was one of those. He was very loyal. Very, very loyal. My experience, of course, Ernie and John Mara interviewed me when I became the head coach back in 2004. I didn't realize that within a couple of years, Ernie was getting ready to retire. Nevertheless, we had a great challenge and we went forward from there. I always enjoyed working with Ernie, I always enjoyed talking with Ernie.
"Ernie will always be remembered, and I say this out of great respect, he's the guy that made the trade for Eli Manning. That will go down in Giants history as one of the great moves of all time. Was it risky? Sure it was risky. Ernie did it. Shut the door, went in, he did it on his own. It was his move. He had followed Eli from the time Eli was a very young player at Ole Miss, and he was convinced that Eli was the franchise quarterback that the Giants needed. He was not going to be deterred. He saw an opportunity. I think both teams benefited greatly from the decision, and Ernie pulled the trigger."
Accorsi's tenure is arguably best known for acquiring Eli Manning in the 2004 NFL Draft. Manning became the key pillar to two Super Bowl championships (2007 and 2011), and, while Accorsi had already retired by the time they hoisted those Lombardi Trophies, his fingerprints were all over those teams. The Giants gave him a Super Bowl ring for each championship.
"I was extremely sad to hear the news about Ernie," Eli Manning's statement reads. "I call Ernie every draft week for the last 12 years, maybe longer than that, and just thank him for making the trade and believing in me and bringing me to the New York Giants. I know he was the believer in me and kind of the reason I got here. I appreciated him so much for building such great teams and giving us the opportunity to win some championships here. He was always so fun to sit with and just talk, whether it's the Giants or his time in Baltimore around the Colts. His stories around the NFL and the people he was around that shaped his career were always so entertaining. I know the Giants organization owes a lot of thanks to Ernie Accorsi and what he was able to do for the organization."
Along with his stint with the Giants, Accorsi spent time as the general manager of the Baltimore Colts and Cleveland Browns. Over his 16 years as a GM, Accorsi assembled nine playoff teams and six division champions.
