NFL fans had a field day after Giants legend Eli Manning confessed to riding the New York City subway for the first time despite being drafted by Big Blue two decades earlier.
Manning made the revelation on X by posting a selfie on a Downtown-bound 6 Train platform alongside the caption: ‘First time riding the subway!’
As a result, Giants fans and residents of the Big Apple flooded the comments with jokes about the subway’s reputation and a few other topics du jour.
‘Where were you today at 6:45am?’ read the top comment – an apparent dark joke about UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson’s assassination in Manhattan earlier that day.
‘Don’t touch any homeless drugged-out felons,’ another advised, perhaps refencing the ongoing Daniel Penny trial. ‘They’ll prosecute you.’
‘The doors say ”Emergency Exit” at the turnstiles Eli but it’s just a suggestion,’ a third added. ‘Feel free to use at your pleasure!’
Eli Manning rode the NYC subway for the first time Wednesday. It remains unclear if he’s ever boarded a PATH train from New Jersey in the two decades since he was drafted by the Giants
New York Giants legend Eli Manning rode the NY subway for the first time on Wednesday night
‘Watch you back, Tom Brady has been seen lurking down there,’ joked a fourth.
A fifth user simply told the legendary quarterback ‘Don’t make eye contact.’
‘Literally in New York through the safe times and decide to ride subway now??’ a sixth questioned.
New York was actually more dangerous when Manning was drafted by the team out of Ole Miss in 2004. That year, there were 570 murders across the five boroughs – 179 more than there were in New York City last year.
Manning played with the New York Giants for 16 years and led the team to Super Bowl supremacy in 2008 and 2012. However, while the team is named after the Empire State, they are located across the Hudson River in New Jersey.
The Giants rarely step foot in the five boroughs as both MetLife Stadium and the team headquarters and training facility are in East Rutherford.
While Manning embarked on his first Subway experience, other pro athletes have taken the mode of transportation before him.
In 2017, LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers took the subway after a shootaround in preparation for a game against the Knicks.
In November, the Detroit Pistons were also forced to take the train to Barclays Center in Downtown Brooklyn as the New York City Marathon clogged up the main roads.
