New York Giants quarterback Eli Manning won’t start Sunday’s game against the Oakland Raiders, breaking his consecutive starting streak 87 games shy of Brett Favre’s record.
The former Ole Miss quarterback holds the second-longest streak for a quarterback in NFL history with 210 consecutive regular-season starts since November 2004, surpassing his brother Peyton’s record of 208 just this season. Favre, who grew up in Kiln, Mississippi, and played for Southern Miss before embarking on a record-breaking NFL career, tops the list with 297.
Coach Ben McAdoo said Geno Smith will start Sunday’s game as the Giants (2-9) head into the final games of the regular season.
Manning said he was given the option of starting to keep the streak alive, but declined, saying “it tarnishes the streak” to start a game knowing you won’t finish it.
“I will be ready to play if and when I am needed,” Manning said, according to ESPN. “I will help Geno and Davis prepare to play as well as they possibly can.”