Photo courtesy: Mark Sutcliffe
Eli Manning may have a pair of Super Bowl rings tucked away at home, but he shares something in common with millions of Canadians: being a hockey dad.
The 45-year-old former NFL quarterback took those responsibilities seriously enough to show up at an unlikely location on Saturday night, taking in an NHL game between the Ottawa Senators and New Jersey Devils at the Canadian Tire Centre. Manning was in the nation’s capital this weekend for his daughter’s hockey tournament and was soaking up the unfamiliar action.
“It’s just all new for me. Growing up in the South, didn’t see a whole lot of hockey, so I’m learning with my daughter. She’s 10 years old, but we’re having a great time in Ottawa. The tournament’s been fun, but this is the highlight of the whole tournament,” Manning told Sportsnet‘s Shawn McKenzie on the broadcast. “They were looking forward to coming here. We live in New Jersey, so some of the kids might be Devils fans, you never know, but tonight, we’re just a fan of hockey.”
The four-time Pro Bowler’s unexpected arrival in the city that fun forgot understandably caused a minor stir, with surprised fans snapping pictures and sharing them on social media. Ottawa mayor Mark Sutcliffe and Senators president Cyril Leeder took the opportunity to present him with a signed Brady Tkachuk jersey.
The Senators went on to win the game 4-1, with goals from Tkachuk, Dylan Cozens, Tim Stutzle, and Shane Pinto. Asked what impressed him the most, Manning had an easy answer.
“I think just the conditioning part of it. You’re on the ice, you’re going hard for those 45 seconds, and thenyou’re out of breath. It’s hard to relate,” he said. “I’ve never been on skates before, so I think it’s hard the fact that you can skate, control the puck, stop and move and shoot. Just the body control of the athletes and the toughness these guys and girls have is pretty impressive.”
Manning played 16 seasons for the New York Giants after he was selected first overall in the 2004 NFL Draft. He became the greatest quarterback in the history of the franchise, throwing for 57,023 yards, 366 touchdowns, and 244 interceptions while twice leading the team to championship upsets of the New England Patriots. He was named the NFL’s Walter Payton Man of the Year in 2016 and had his no. 10 jersey retired by the organization.
The retired signal caller is now known for his exploits as a broadcaster alongside his older brother, Pro Football Hall of Fame QB Peyton Manning. Asked which of the pair would win in a game of shinny, Manning only laughed.
“I don’t think anyone wants to see that. That’s a lose-lose situation. That’s like Comedy Hour,” he quipped. “If we just stay on skates, I think the winner, that would be it.”