Eli Manning retired in 2019 and missed out in his first year of Hall of Fame eligibility in 2025. He was passed over again earlier this year but still fired back at a fan who claimed one of his contemporaries was the better quarterback.

On Tuesday, a social media user floated a theory about former Atlanta Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan. Ryan, who now oversees football operations as the team’s president, last played in an NFL game in 2022. He announced his retirement in 2024, making him eligible for Hall of Fame consideration beginning in 2028.

“Matt Ryan was a better QB than Eli Manning… people just worship rings. Agree or nah,” the post read.

CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COM

New York Giants quarterback Eli Manning greets Atlanta Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan after their game at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, Georgia, on Oct. 22, 2018. (Jason Getz/USA TODAY Sports)

Manning caught wind of the suggestion and weighed in, pointing to the two Super Bowl-winning teams he was part of during his standout run with the New York Giants.

“I will ponder this while I play with my rings…,” Manning wrote in a quote-tweet.

Ryan’s statistical production surpasses Manning’s, at least on paper. He was named NFL MVP in 2016, an honor Manning never earned. Ryan is also the most accomplished player in Falcons history and finished his career with more than 62,000 regular-season passing yards, compared with Manning’s 57,023.

NFC head coach Eli Manning leads a huddle during a practice session before the NFL Pro Bowl at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, Nev., on Feb. 4, 2023. (Michael Owens/Getty Images)

Both quarterbacks were selected to four Pro Bowls, but the key difference lies in championships. Manning won the Super Bowl in 2007 and 2011, while Ryan reached it once but fell short. Manning threw for a single season career-best 4,933 during the run leading up to the second Super Bowl title.

Ryan threw for 284 yards, two touchdowns and no interceptions to help the Falcons build a 25-point lead in the championship game — a matchup remembered for the New England Patriots engineering the largest comeback in Super Bowl history.

Atlanta Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan passes the ball against the Buffalo Bills during the second half at Highmark Stadium in Orchard Park, N.Y., on Jan. 2, 2022. (Rich Barnes/USA TODAY Sports)

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

The Falcons have reached the Super Bowl twice in franchise history, first in 1998, but the team is still chasing its first elusive championship.

The Giants marked their 100th season in 2024, winning four Super Bowls over the franchise’s century-long history.

Follow Fox News Digital’s sports coverage on X, and subscribe to the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter.

World number one Judd Trump recovered from a slow start to defeat Gary Wilson in their first-round match.

Trump, the 2019 champion, lost four of the first five frames as Wilson, ranked 27th, moved into a 4-1 lead.

But Trump then claimed the final four frames of the session, including superb breaks of 128 and 77, to hold a 5-4 advantage.

However, Wilson, a three-time ranking event winner, made the highest break of the session with a superb 139 clearance in frame five.

In the second session later on Tuesday, Wilson made a break of 58 to make it 5-5, but Trump pulled clear by winning five in a row to seal a 10-5 success.

Trump, 36, has been top of the world rankings since August 2024 and will extend that run if he reaches the quarter-finals.

“I like being number one, it’s going to be difficult to keep it unless I do really well in the next season but I take a lot of pride in it,” he said.

Trump lives in Dubai but, because of the recent conflict in the Middle East, he left the area temporarily.

“I had to stay in Thailand for a month, and I managed to practice for the World Championship, but it has been more back to normal now,” he said.

“Dubai is still my base, I’ve been back there in the last couple of weeks and everything is normal.”

A downbeat Wilson, speaking to BBC Four, said: “It’s just constant disappointment. I am, and always have been since the age of 13, a better player than this.

“It’s a constant struggle. The yips are getting worse and I’m just riding through it.”

Manny Pacquiao remains unconvinced by Floyd Mayweather’s self-proclaimed ‘GOAT’ status, believing that his achievements are perhaps more worthy of such recognition.

The two pound-for-pound legends are set square off in a professional rematch on September 19, headlining a Netflix event at The Sphere, Las Vegas.

At the age of 47 and 49, respectively, neither Pacquiao nor Mayweather are expected to produce a career-best performance, or even come close to delivering an elite-level spectacle.

But while both Hall of Famers are significantly removed from their primes, there is nonetheless a degree of intrigue attached to their sequel.

This is partly because of Mayweather’s iconic 50-0 record, which he is expected to put on the line in a fully-sanctioned contest against ‘Pac Man’.

By retiring with an unbeaten record, after having become a five-division world champion, Mayweather joined an exclusive club consisting of fighters such as Andre Ward, Joe Calzaghe and Rocky Marciano.

But while this remains an impressive achievement, Pacquiao has questioned whether it is enough for the American to be regarded as the greatest fighter of all time.

Speaking with Inside the Ring, the Filipino highlighted his own accolades and suggested that Mayweather’s ‘GOAT’ status can, at the very least, be debated among boxing aficionados.

“He’s a self-proclaimed GOAT. He cannot claim that he’s the only undefeated fighter who retired. There’s at least more than 15 fighters that retired undefeated.

“But I can claim [that I’m] the only eight-division [world champion in history]. And I’m the only fighter that became a world champion in four different decades.”

Indeed, Pacquiao claimed his first major title in 1998, before retiring in 2021 as an eight-division world champion.

Despite losing to Yordenis Ugas that same year, the southpaw had previously held the WBA welterweight strap and therefore reigned as a world champion in four separate decades.

The mind games have begun in the rematch between Manny Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather.

Pacquiao revealed his new base of operations for his upcoming fight at Sphere in Las Vegas in September to Ring Magazine in an article published Tuesday. It is a former location of his rival’s Mayweather Boxing + Fitness chain of gyms in Los Angeles, now branded as a Pacquiao Prime Boxing club.

Advertisement

It’s not a move we would describe as subtle, especially with Pacquiao’s camp talking about stripping the gym of all of Mayweather’s images and branding.

The move was also reportedly orchestrated by Jas Mathur, a former business associate of Mayweather who is now the CEO of Pacquiao Promotions. He insisted this was merely a business decision

From The Ring:

“This is not an emotional decision, it’s a business decision,” Mathur told The Ring. “We’re not looking at anything Mayweather Boxing + Fitness did. We have our own model, and it’s the first of many Pacquiao Prime Boxing locations we want to open. It’s the first step in a much bigger plan that we have.

“It was cool that this space had the Mayweather name on it and whatnot, but we did it more for the location. It’s in a very visible, high-traffic and landmark area for what we want to accomplish moving forward. We envision many professional fighters, athletes, celebrities and top trainers wanting to be here.”

To be clear, the Mayweather Boxing + Fitness location was reportedly shuttered because the franchise owner decided not to renew the lease. There are still dozens of Mayweather locations worldwide, though there have been whispers of financial troubles for “Money” in the past few months.

Advertisement

The Mayweather-Pacquiao rematch was announced in February and will be a Netflix-aired redux of the the best-selling boxing bout of all time, in which Mayweather beat Pacquiao by lopsided unanimous decision in 2015.

There has already been some contention over the terms of the agreement outlined by Netflix. Mayweather curiously insisted the Sphere venue wasn’t a done deal and insisted the fight was actually an exhibition, which wouldn’t threaten his prized 50-0 record.

Pacquiao’s camp responded by indicating they would hold Mayweather, whose exhibition bouts have a spotty financial history, to the “binding agreement” he signed.

Chennai Super Kings’ MS Dhoni (PTI Photo)

Mumbai: Are legendary captain MS Dhoni and England star all-rounder Will Jacks set to return to action in the big-ticket Mumbai Indians vs Chennai Super Kings clash at the Wankhede Stadium on Thursday night? After days of anticipation, that could well be the case. Dhoni trained intensely in the CSK nets at the Wankhede on Tuesday night. Notably, he kept wickets for around half an hour and also batted for about 30 minutes. The 44-year-old, who suffered a calf strain during the pre-season camp, was seen striking the ball fluently without any visible discomfort. However, Dhoni had also been practising with the CSK squad in Chennai earlier. CSK are currently placed eighth on the IPL 2026 points table, with two wins and four losses. His potential return would add valuable depth to their batting. Meanwhile, Jacks has finally arrived in India after missing MI’s first six matches. The England star, who was a standout performer in the 2026 T20 World Cup with four Player of the Match awards, trained in MI’s nets at the Wankhede on Monday between 5 pm and 6 pm, and also took part in an optional practice session under lights on Tuesday. The 27-year-old off-spinner bowled in the nets and batted for nearly an hour. His arrival is a major boost for MI, whose campaign regained momentum after a dominant 99-run win over Gujarat Titans at the Narendra Modi Stadium on Monday night. Jacks’ arrival had been delayed for undisclosed reasons, with the MI management refraining from revealing details about his absence during the first three weeks of IPL 2026. His presence was eagerly awaited by both the management and fans. As a powerful middle-order batter and a capable spinner, Jacks strengthens both departments for MI. His inclusion could force the team to leave out one of their overseas spinners — Allah Ghazanfar or Mitchell Santner. Having delivered several useful cameos at No. 6 and 7 for England during the T20 World Cup, Jacks also offers MI a reliable finishing option. Spencer Johnson joins CSK squad In another boost for CSK, Australian pacer Spencer Johnson, signed as a replacement for Nathan Ellis, joined the squad in Mumbai on Tuesday ahead of the marquee clash. The left-arm quick trained with the team at the Wankhede and is expected to feature in the playing XI on Thursday night, likely replacing Khaleel Ahmed, who was ruled out with an injury last week. Injuries have significantly dented CSK’s campaign after a slow start. In their previous match against Sunrisers Hyderabad, young batter Ayush Mhatre suffered a hamstring injury, ruling him out of the remainder of IPL 2026.

Abhishek Sharma and Eshan Malinga (BCCI Photo)

NEW DELHI: Opener Abhishek Sharma played a stunning innings and completely dominated Delhi Capitals as Sunrisers Hyderabad won comfortably by 47 runs in Hyderabad on Tuesday. This was their third consecutive victory in IPL 2026.His unbeaten 135 off just 68 balls powered SRH to a massive 242/2 on a flat pitch, leaving DC with no real chance in the chase.Abhishek was in destructive form right from the start, smashing 10 sixes and 10 boundaries as he tore apart the bowling attack. Even though Travis Head was not at his best, he still helped build a strong opening stand of 97 runs. After his dismissal for 37, skipper Ishan Kishan joined Abhishek and added another quick 79-run partnership, pushing SRH into complete control.Towards the end, Heinrich Klaasen added the finishing touch with a blistering 37 off 13 balls, helping SRH reach an unthinkable total of 242/2. Abhishek’s knock was so dominant that even a so-called slower century for him came at a strike rate above 200.Delhi Capitals started their chase with some hope, reaching 107/1, but things quickly fell apart. Eshan Malinga (4/32) and Sakib Hussain broke the backbone of the innings, triggering a collapse that DC never recovered from. They slipped from 107/1 to 107/4 and eventually finished at 195/9.Nitish Rana’s bowling backfired badly, going for 55 runs in four overs, while DC’s spin and pace options were poorly used. Even key bowlers like Axar Patel and Kuldeep Yadav were underutilised, adding to their problems.SRH’s bowlers used smart variations and kept taking wickets at regular intervals, making the chase impossible.SRH’s powerful batting and disciplined bowling proved far too strong, while DC’s poor tactics and repeated mistakes made the difference in a one-sided contest.

Roughly 5,000 feet of elevation separate Denver and New York City.

Still, gravity works the same regardless of where one stands. Just ask the NBA teams in both towns.

“You get too high, and you get, I don’t want to say cocky, but feeling yourself,” Nuggets guard Tim Hardaway Jr. said.

That sensation went south on either side of the country Monday night.

After squandering sizable leads that would have cemented commanding 2-0 advantages in their respective first-round playoff series, the Nuggets and Knicks now find themselves bracing for a fight.

Should their opponents ultimately have their number, Denver and New York will look back with disdain on 19 and 14. Those were the Game 2 cushions the teams coughed up as the No. 3 seeds in the Eastern and Western Conference.

“It’s a game we should’ve won,” Knicks guard Josh Hart said. “In the playoffs, we can’t give away games.”

Be that as it may, the Knicks did just that against the Atlanta Hawks. They controlled the outcome for much of the night and took a 12-point edge into the fourth quarter after leading by as many as 14.

Then New York shot 5-for-22 from the floor in the final 12 minutes compared to 10-for-15 for Atlanta. Fighting through vulgar chants from the Madison Square Garden faithful, Hawks star CJ McCullom scored six straight points down the stretch during one key sequence on the way to a game-high 32.

“In that fourth quarter, you could tell [the Hawks] were playing with a level of desperation,” Knicks coach Mike Brown said. “There were four 50-50 balls, and they got three of the four. We always use that stat to gauge the level of aggression in a game. In that fourth quarter, their aggression stepped up.”

New York’s melted at the same time. How many late possessions saw the Knicks pass or hold the ball around the perimeter before settling for subpar looks from 3-point range? The Knicks went 3-for-11 from deep as part of their flop.

Denver led the Minnesota Timberwolves by 19 points early in the second quarter before crumbling. The Nuggets still were ahead by three points to start the fourth quarter but a combined 2-for-12 shooting effort from pillars Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray in the final 12 minutes took a toll.

“I feel like we had the game in hand, and then we just didn’t make our shots,” Murray said.

As with the Knicks and Hawks, the reversal of fortunes stemmed both from the hosts’ miscues and an outstanding effort from a visiting player, as Minnesota’s Anthony Edwards had 30 points.

“Great leadership, positive,” Timberwolves coach Chris Finch said. “He recognized he needed to get into attack mode and get downhill a little bit more. He did that.”

The Knicks and Nuggets no doubt sensed the need to amp up their own urgency as things started slipping away Monday.

That neither could act upon it didn’t signal the end for either New York or Denver, of course. But now there’s unnecessary added weight for the climb back to the top.