The New York Giants signed Eli Manning to six-year contract extension earlier today, making him one of the highest-paid players in the league. I am very happy to know that he will be my quarterback for the foreseeable future. I know that this new deal will strike up debates over whether or not he deserves this kind of money, but here are my reasons as to why the Giants absolutely did the right thing by rewarding him with this contract.

? Already has won a Super Bowl title and was the MVP in the biggest game of his career. Let’s also not forget that he drove the Giants in the final minutes to beat a team that had not lost a game that season

? Has shown that he can win games on the road. Just look back at the run the Giants had in the 2007 season or the games in Arizona and Pittsburgh last season.

? Handles himself like a gentleman off the field. He plays in the biggest city and media market in the world and we never see him in the headlines in a negative way.

? Plays his best late in the game. Do not take this for granted; we have seen many quarterbacks that cannot function as well when the game is on the line.

? His teammates know that he is their leader. When Tiki Barber went on TV and made a statement about Eli’s leadership, all of his teammates rallied behind him and have been supportive of him after good performances and bad ones.
 
? Four years as a starter, four trips to the playoffs. The most important quality that a quarterback can have is the ability to lead his team to victory.

I know that sometimes Manning can frustrate Giants fans with his accuracy, and I am in no way saying that he is the best quarterback in the NFL. But the fact of the matter is that this is where the market is at right now. Before you know it, another quarterback will be getting a bigger deal in the near future. The bottom line is that Manning is a very good player who has the potential to become even better. Statistically, he has been going in the right direction every year since he has entered the league. He is a hard worker who stays out of trouble and never looks to be in the limelight. I am very happy for Manning and look forward to the next six seasons with him leading my football team.