Dez Bryant’s Unexpected Eli Manning Advice Is Less Insane Than You Think

• Eli Manning’s time in New York coming to an end, it is not clear what’s next for him.
• He has said he wants to continue playing but doesn’t want to be a backup.
• An unexpected supporter gave Manning some equally-surprising advice.

The hate for Eli Manning often rages on Twitter, especially on game days. Someone always seems to catch a “sad Eli” face and enshrine it in the social media record. Critics scrupulously note every lousy pass, interception, and missed receiver to ensure they never miss out on a chance to complain about the aging Giants quarterback.

It’s not always without reason. Manning deserves criticism, but he doesn’t deserve to be a social media punching bag.

The critics haven’t quieted down now that his time in New York appears to be coming to an end. Most seem to think he should retire since he hasn’t played well (by their standards) in years.

But Manning has received support from one unexpected former division rival: Dez Bryant. The former Dallas Cowboys wide receiver even has some career advice for Eli. It’s bold, but it’s not as crazy as you think.

Former Rival Has Eli Manning’s Back

On New Year’s Eve, Dez Bryant stunned the Twitter-verse when, seemingly unprompted, he dished out some Manning love:

Even more surprising was that Bryant presented a career move he thought would be suitable for Manning:

This what Cleveland Brown fans should be dreaming row right now.. get Eli Manning ..some how some way get 49ers D coordinator..run similar style offense like the 49ers… Cleveland have crazy talent everywhere offense and defense…maximize it while you can I’m taking all bets.

Skeptics assumed he was either joking or drinking (it was late in the night on New Year’s Eve, after all). He said he wasn’t drinking, and he doubled down on his Eli-to-the-Browns scheme.

To be clear, he wasn’t saying the Browns should get rid of Baker Mayfield – just bench him for a while. Why? Because they need for him to learn the NFL game from a veteran like Manning.

It Sounds Crazy – Here’s Why It’s Not

Benching Baker Mayfield for Eli Manning sounds insane, but it might be just what the struggling Browns quarterback needs.

While his passion has often fueled his game and led to him making incredible plays, it seemed to work against him in 2019 as his performance devolved.

Maybe if he had better control over his emotions, he could channel that energy into something productive—rather than challenging hecklers (twice):

Mayfield still needs to learn how to be a professional; lots of guys do. They chalk up how they behave to “keeping it real” and “being true to who they are.” But what they are doing is finding an excuse to justify not growing up.

Eli Manning could help Baker Mayfield in that arena. But it is more likely the Browns bring in a more authoritative head coach to get Mayfield in line than a new quarterback.