Former New York Giants quarterback Eli Manning would consider becoming a minority owner of his old team if the Mara family is willing to sell him a stake.
“It’s definitely something of interest,” said Manning, who spoke in a CNBC Sport interview. “There’s probably only one team I’d be interested in pursuing, and it’s the one I played for for 16 years, and it’s local, and makes the most sense, but we just got to figure out if they would ever sell a little bit.”
The Mara family has owned the Giants since the team’s founding in 1925. The Giants declined to comment on Manning’s interest.
Many NFL teams have begun considering the sale of small, minority stakes after the league voted to allow private equity investment for up to 10% of each franchise in August. The process has led to several transactions thus far, both to individuals and to investment firms.
Former New England Patriots and Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Tom Brady and his business partner Tom Wagner acquired a 10% stake in the Las Vegas Raiders in October. The Miami Dolphins, Buffalo Bills and Philadelphia Eagles have also sold minority stakes to wealthy individuals in recent months.
Manning is already a minority owner of the National Women’s Soccer League’s NJ/NY Gotham FC. He’s also a partner at the private equity firm Brand Velocity Group.
The NFL has so far only approved select private equity firms to buy a minority stake. Brand Velocity isn’t one of them.
Manning also told CNBC Sport he agreed with the Giants’ decision to keep head coach Brian Daboll and general manager Joe Schoen for another season, announced Monday by the team.
The Giants ended the year 3-14 and will have the No. 3 pick in the 2025 NFL draft. The team released its starting quarterback Daniel Jones earlier this season.
“You’ve got to create some sort of continuity and keep things the same, build that culture, and that just takes time. You can’t necessarily do it in two years or three years,” Manning said. “They have some playmakers, they have some superstars on the team, and it’s just about getting everybody to buy in and to work together, and finding ways to win some of these tight games. And I think it’s the right move by keeping these guys there. Let them bring in their guys, let them create their style and create their culture.”
Manning is juggling multiple business ventures as he tries to find a new path after playing football, he said. He will serve as a Verizon FanFest ambassador next month when the telecommunications company transforms stadiums across NFL markets into a one-day party featuring live music, food and celebrity meet-and-greets with former NFL players including Jason Witten, Tiki Barber and Patrick Willis.
“I think my quest post-football is trying to find that passion and find something similar that I can work towards or am truly committed to,” said Manning. “I kind of feel like I get to start over a little bit, and I’m enjoying that learning process of figuring out what else I’m passionate about.”