Back in March 2019, when the New York Giants traded away Eli Manning’s favorite target, WR Odell Beckham Jr., the quarterback did not address it right away. But just a couple of weeks later, he named Beckham as the most gifted athlete he had played with. It didn’t surprise many. The two turned into one of the most explosive QB-WR duos in the Big Apple during their five years together. However, that connection didn’t start there.

The Newman High alumni would attend the Manning Passing Academy during their colleges’ off time. Their connection even seeped onto the dance floor when they recreated the final scene from Dirty Dancing during a Super Bowl LII commercial. So with so much past between them, when Beckham is planning to return to the Big Blue, everyone has only one question. And Eli Manning has an answer ready.

“Guys, I’m not coming back to play! Stop asking,” Manning responded to a tweet that reminisced about the veteran quarterback’s stunning 87-yard pass to Odell Beckham Jr.

While that post did not directly ask Manning to return, its caption made an obvious point: “All these Giants signings have been great and all, but there’s still one final piece missing…”

That 87-yard pass was then the longest score of Beckham’s career. However, one can’t simply ignore Eli Manning. In the clip, Manning found the star receiver perfectly between New England Patriots corner Malcolm Butler and safety Devin McCourty, who collided during coverage as OBJ completed the TD. But this was just an example of their connection.

During Beckham’s rookie season in 2014, he missed training camp, the preseason, and the first four regular-season games. Obviously, many expected that season to be a wash for him. But not Manning. Of course, he already knew what the wide receiver was capable of.

In that season, the two showed off their dominance as a duo and, through 12 games together, connected for 1,305 yards and 12 touchdowns on 91 receptions. Beckham led the league in yards per game that year, earning a Pro Bowl nod and the AP Offensive Rookie of the Year award. Meanwhile, Manning was able to make a leap of over 600 yards that season, as compared to 2013.

So, with Beckham practicing with the Giants, it wouldn’t be surprising if the Big Blue wants to see Manning return, too. His “Once a Giant, Always a Giant, Only a Giant” social account bio would also only support the return of the quarterback who became a legend there.

Eli Manning scripted an illustrious 16-season career with 57,023 yards (the franchise’s all-time leader), and 366 touchdowns, all with the Giants. He was selected to play in four Pro Bowls while winning two Super Bowl MVP awards and two championships, both over the most dominant Patriots team. With these accolades, the Giants promptly hung the No. 10 jersey after his retirement ahead of the 2020 season.

Eli Manning wouldn’t be the first to make a comeback after retiring from the NFL, either.

His arch-rival, Tom Brady, returned to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at the age of 45 after a short retirement in 2019. Similarly, Philip Rivers, the player the Giants traded away to bring in Manning in the 2004 NFL draft, also made a comeback in December 2025. At age 44, he signed with the Indianapolis Colts after a five-year retirement to help an injury-riddled team. He started three games, throwing for 397 yards and touchdowns, but went 0-3 as a starter.

So there’s enough precedence for Manning to return, but we know the answer for now. It may be because he is turning 45 now and his body might not be able to support the work needed for a successful QB in the NFL today. However, Beckham’s return to the Big Apple isn’t promised either, as GM Joe Schoen shared an update after his workout in April.

Giants GM addresses Odell Beckham Jr.’s return to New York

After not playing anywhere last season, Beckham had been working out in Arizona. Ahead of the 2026 NFL Draft, he expressed a desire to play this season. When questioned where, the answer was easy: to the team that drafted him in 2014 out of LSU.

“That sounds great; if that opportunity presents itself, I would love to do that. I would be excited about that,” Beckham said to sports show host Kay Adams in an interview before the Fanatics Flag Football Classic in Los Angeles.

He met the ownership group and also their new head coach, John Harbaugh, for whom he played in Baltimore during the 2023 season. After his performance in the Fanatic Flag Football Classic, he got a call for a workout and physical with the team in April.

Beckham last played in 2024, appearing in nine games for the Miami Dolphins, logging nine catches for 55 yards. However, the performance could also be tied to the Dolphins’ offense. But if he returns to the Giants under Harbaugh, there’s a possibility of a reignition. However, that will depend on the new head coach, and as of now, GM Joe Schoen addressed the situation:

“Yeah, no updates on that,” Schoen said during an appearance on The Insiders. “We’re gonna continue to always work on the roster regardless of the position and try to upgrade where we can. Odell is a guy that we had in for a workout, and we’ll continue to have conversations with his camp and see where it goes.”

The Giants’ current QB Jaxson Dart and other players have also expressed their backing to bring the wideout back. As of now, there are no signs of a final signing. But maybe, just maybe, if Beckham can reunite with the Big Blue if he could also swing Manning despite his resistance. Don’t you think so?