Tom Coughlin pays tribute to Eli Manning in emotional statement

Tom Coughlin and Eli Manning had a close relationship when the two were together with the New York Giants, and it’s no real surprise that Coughlin was one of the first to pay tribute to Manning upon the quarterback’s retirement.

On Wednesday, after the Giants revealed that Manning would officially announce his retirement on Friday, Coughlin issued a statement through his foundation paying tribute to his former quarterback.

#ThankYouEli, for always choosing to #BeThere pic.twitter.com/YDoanI59tE

— Tom Coughlin Jay Fund (@tcjayfund) January 22, 2020

Coughlin was the only head coach Manning had from the quarterback’s entry into the league in 2004 through the 2015 season. When Coughlin was forced out after the 2015 season, Manning was shedding tears at the coach’s farewell press conference. This was a special relationship, and it’s easy to tell by how willing Coughlin, notorious for being a strict disciplinarian, is willing to freely praise his former quarterback.