Eli Manning Claps Back At Suggestion Matt Ryan Was Better Than Him

Eli Manning only needed one sentence to shut down a social media user.

An Atlanta Falcons fan posted a "hot take" that Matt Ryan was a better quarterback than Manning, arguing that "people just worship rings." Based on his response, Manning didn't seem particularly bothered by that assessment.

"I will ponder this while I play with my ring," Manning wrote.

Eli Manning or Matt Ryan?

Just looking at the regular-season results, Ryan was handily better than Manning.

Ryan has more passing yards and touchdowns, fewer interceptions, and a higher completion percentage than Manning. His career 93.6 quarterback rating matches Manning's career-high clip in 2015.

Both quarterbacks garnered four Pro Bowl nods, but Ryan won MVP honors in 2016 with 4,944 passing yards, 38 touchdowns, and a 117.1 quarterback rating. Of course, Manning may not mind that award eluding him since he joins Tom Brady, Patrick Mahomes, Joe Montana, Terry Bradshaw, and Bart Starr as the only multi-time Super Bowl MVP winners.

With a .500 record and bloated turnover tally, Manning lags far behind his older brother Peyton Manning and other legendary signal-callers. However, the New York Giants star placed himself among the game's icons with two legacy-defining playoff runs.

Manning led the Giants to an unlikely championship in 2007, defeating the undefeated New England Patriots in a massive Super Bowl upset. Four years later, he again bested Brady's Patriots to culminate an epic postseason run with 1,219 passing yards, nine touchdowns, and a 103.3 quarterback rating in four games.

On the other hand, Ryan didn't fare as well against New England with a Lombardi Trophy on the line. His Atlanta Falcons squandered a 28-3 lead to lose Super Bowl LI in overtime.

Ryan went 4-6 in the playoffs, but he netted a higher postseason quarterback rating (100.8) than Manning (87.4). Still, Manning and plenty of fans will probably overlook those numbers in favor of counting the Super Bowl rings.

The two quarterbacks could be in direct competition if Manning is still seeking Hall of Fame enshrinement when Ryan is first eligible in 2029.

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This story was originally published April 21, 2026 at 12:22 PM.