>>> WELCOME BACK.
OUR NEXT GUEST IS A MEMBER OF
WHAT MANY CONSIDER THE ROYAL
FAMILY OF FOOTBALL.
ELI MANNING IS A TWO-TIME SUPER
BOWL CHAMPION, TWO-TIME SUPER
BOWL MVP, AND FOUR-TIME PRO
BOWLER.
>> HE ANNOUNCED HIS RETIREMENT
EARLIER THIS YEAR AFTER 16
SEASONS WITH THE NEW YORK
GIANTS.
HE’S JOINING US WITH SOME
EXCITING NEWS FOR FOOTBALL FANS.
ELI, GOOD MORNING TO YOU.
>> GOOD MORNING.
GREAT TO BE WITH YOU.
>> WELL, LISTEN.
I THINK WE HAVE TO START WITH
THE CURRENT NFL SEASON.
WEEK ONE SEEMED TO GO OFF
WITHOUT A HITCH.
WE ENJOYED THE GAME.
THERE WERE TIMES I HAVE TO BE
HONEST WITH YOU, I WOULD FORGET
EVERYTHING THAT WAS HAPPENING
AROUND US.
DO YOU THINK WE CAN MAKE IT ALL
THE WAY TO THE SUPER BOWL?
>> I HOPE SO.
I WAS RIGHT THERE WITH YOU.
I THOUGHT THE FIRST SEASON WENT
OFF VERY WELL.
YOU KNOW, THE GAMES WERE NORMAL.
IT SEEMED VERY NORMAL WATCHING
IT FROM HOME AND ROOTING FOR
YOUR FAVORITE TEAMS.
AND JUST KEEPING UP WITH
EVERYTHING, WITH YOUR FANTASY
TEAM MAYBE.
I THOUGHT IT WENT SMOOTHLY.
AND HOPEFULLY WE CAN KEEP THIS
GOING AND THERE’LL BE NO
OUTBREAKS AND WE CAN HAVE A FULL
SEASON AND MAYBE GET SOME MORE
FANS BACK INTO THE STADIUM.
>> CHEERS TO THAT.
>> I’M SURE AFTER YOU MAKE THE
DECISION TO RETIRE, MAYBE SECOND
GUESS IT A LITTLE BIT.
BUT WITH EVERYTHING GOING ON
WITH THE PANDEMIC AND WHATNOT,
DOES THAT HELP YOU FEEL BETTER
ABOUT YOUR DECISION?
ARE YOU GLAD LAST SEASON WAS
YOUR LAST?
>> I AM.
I’M NOT ONE OF THOSE GUYS THAT
SECOND GUESSES MY DECISIONS A
WHOLE LOT.
I WAS READY TO RETIRE FROM
FOOTBALL.
BUT I THINK THIS SEASON AND
TALKING TO SOME OF MY FORMER
TEAMMATES AND JUST EVERYTHING
THEY WENT THROUGH WITH TRAINING
CAMP AND NOT HAVING A SPRING
PRACTICE AND THE ZOOM FOR A TEAM
MEETING RIGHT NOW.
I SAID IT HAS MADE IT EASIER
SAYING I GOT OUT AT THE RIGHT
TIME.
I’M HAPPY WHERE I AM JUST
WATCHING FOOTBALL ON TV.
>> WAS IT A WEIRD FEELING TO
WATCH IT FROM HOME?
>> YOU KNOW, IT WAS JUST WEIRD
ONCE THE GIANTS GAME CAME ON AND
YOU SEE YOUR -- YOU KNOW, YOUR
FORMER TEAMMATES IN THE STADIUM.
YOU KNOW, JUST NOT BEING THERE.
YOU KNOW, IT WAS REALLY
DIFFERENT FOR ME BECAUSE I
DIDN’T GROW UP A GIANTS FAN.
I GREW UP IN NEW ORLEANS.
I WAS A SAINTS FAN.
AND OBVIOUSLY THE GIANTS HAVE
BEEN MY LIFE THE LAST 16 YEARS.
ALL OF A SUDDEN, I’M KIND OF
ROOTING FOR THEM AS A FAN.
I’VE NEVER DONE THAT BEFORE.
I’VE NEVER WATCHED THE GIANTS
PLAY AND ROOTED FOR THEM FROM
THE HOME.
AND SO -- BUT I’LL DEFINITELY BE
DOING THAT.
I AM A TRUE GIANTS FAN AND BIG
BLUE.
SO IT’LL BE FUN TO WATCH THEM
AND HOPEFULLY GET TO GO TO SOME
GAMES AND BRING MY KIDS AND GET
TO ENJOY THE WHOLE FOOTBALL
EXPERIENCE.
>> AND I’M SURE YOUR FAMILY
LOVES HAVING YOU HOME TO WATCH
THE GIANTS ALL TOGETHER.
SO WHAT DOES RETURMTIREMENT LOOK
LIKE FOR YOU?
YOU KNOW, IT’S BEEN JUST
DIFFERENT.
MY WIFE, SHE DOESN’T KNOW KIND
OF WHAT TO DO WITH ME.
I’VE NEVER BEEN HOME THIS MUCH.
AND REALLY IT WAS THE FIRST TIME
SHE HAD ME HOME IN AUGUST.
USUALLY IT WAS BYE, HON.
I’M GOING TO TRAINING CAMP FOR A
MONTH.
THIS YEAR IT’S YOU’RE STILL
HERE.
THERE’S SOMEONE TO HELP WITH THE
KIDS.
SO I JUST ENJOYED THAT TIME THIS
YEAR WITH OUR FAMILY.
WE HAVE FOUR KIDS WITH MY WIFE.
IT’S JUST BEEN TRYING TO FIGURE
OUT HOW TO SPEND MY DAY.
IT’S USUALLY KIND OF ONE
ACTIVITY A DAY.
IT’S LIKE, ALL RIGHT.
I HAVE A HAIR CUT.
THAT’S MY ONE THING I’VE GOT TO
GET ACCOMPLISHED.
YOU KNOW, CHANGE SOME LIGHT
BULBS TODAY.
JUST KIND OF ATTACKING MY ONE
TASK A DAY.
>> SUPER BOWL CHAMPS, THEY’RE
JUST LIKE THE REST OF US.
SO WE KNOW YOU HAVE A SPECIAL
ANNOUNCEMENT FOR US ABOUT WHAT
YOU’RE GOING TO BE DOING THIS
SUNDAY BEFORE THE GIANTS/BEARS
GAME.
>> YEAH.
SO OBVIOUSLY THIS YEAR AND THIS
SEASON, EVERYTHING’S A LITTLE
BIT DIFFERENT.
AND THAT INCLUDE THE TRADITIONAL
TAILGATING.
SO HOME-GATING IS A GREAT
ALTERNATIVE.
BUT SOMETIMES IT’S NOT SO GREAT
IF YOU’RE ALL BY YOURSELF AT
HOME.
AND SO WHAT I’M DOING IS I’M
TEAMING UP WITH FRANK’S RED HOT
AND WE’RE GOING TO CREATE THE
LARGEST HOME-GATING EXPERIENCE
ON ZOOM.
WHERE I’LL GET TO HANG OUT WITH
A THOUSAND PEOPLE AND, YOU KNOW,
GET TO KIND OF PREGAME IT A
LITTLE BIT BEFORE MY FORMER TEAM
TAKES THE FIELD THIS SUNDAY
AFTERNOON.
SO I’LL BE TWEETING OUT THE LINK
TO THE ZOOM ON SUNDAY MORNING.
SO WHEN YOU SEE THAT, YOU KNOW,
JOIN QUICKLY.
IF YOU DON’T GET TO JOIN THAT
ZOOM, YOU CAN STILL LIVE STREAM
IT FRANK’S RED HOT TWITTER.
BUT THE INTERESTING ABOUT THIS
IS IT’S NOT JUST GOING TO BE A
VIRTUAL DEAL ON THE SCREEN.
YOU’LL ACTUALLY GET TO INTERACT
WITH ME BECAUSE WE’RE GOING TO
HAVE A HUMAN BEING WITH A SCREEN
STRAPPED TO HIS HEAD AND HIS
FACE.
YOU KNOW, WE’LL GET TO PLAY SOME
GAMES AND PLAY SOME CORN HOLE
MAYBE OR DO SOME, YOU KNOW, SOME
GOLFING.
WE’LL LADDER.
YOU KNOW, WHATEVER YOU DO.
TAILGATING, HOME-GATING, BOTH
ARE NEW TO ME.
I’M TRYING TO FIGURE IT OUT.
BUT WE’LL HAVE SHAWN O’HARA, MY
FORMER TEAMMATE WITH ME.
WE’LL BRING IN A FEW GUESTS AS
WELL.
>> I KNOW YOU’RE A PAID
SPOKESPERSON FOR FRANK’S RED
HOT.
I HAVE TWO KIDS THAT NOW WANT TO
TRY HOT SAUCE BECAUSE THEY FEEL
LIKE THAT’S THE THING TO DO.
FRANK’S IS WHAT THEY USE.
BECAUSE IT’S NOT TOO HOT.
YOU KNOW?
IT’S A NICE ENTRY WAY INTO HOT
SAUCE.