Eli Manning, the two-time Super Bowl champion quarterback, might not be the first player you’d think of as a prankster. But according to his former teammate Saquon Barkley, Eli had a playful side and loved to mess with the rookies, including Barkley himself.
Saquon Barkley recently revealed on the “New Heights” podcast that Eli got him with a rather unique prank during his rookie year. Eli pretended to be in pain, complaining about a toothache. He then convinced Barkley to take a closer look, only to fling grass in his mouth!
Saquon Barkley narrated:
“Eli was a little prankster, he got me one time. … He did this thing where he’d like throw grass in my mouth. … He’s like, ‘Man, my tooth is hurting me a little bit.’
“I’m like, ‘You probably got a lot of money, probably gotta get that checked out.’ He’s like, ‘I’m gonna show you what it is.’ And then he just threw grass in my mouth … At that moment, you just like started laughing and stuff.”
Barkley also admitted to adopting this prank for himself to use on future rookies!
Eli Manning and Saquon Barkley’s time with the New York Giants wasn’t quite a championship reunion, but it did have its bright spots.
Manning arrived long before Barkley. Drafted in 2004, Eli was already a Giants legend with two Super Bowl wins (MVP in both) by the time Barkley joined the team.
Drafted in 2018, Barkley became an instant star. He won the Offensive Rookie of the Year award with his running style. Barkley’s rookie year (2018) was also Eli’s most statistically productive season in a while. Injuries hampered Barkley’s later seasons.
Saquon Barkley became a free agent after the 2023 season. He ended up signing a three-year deal with the Philadelphia Eagles, a division rival of the Giants, in March 2024.
