UNITED STATES - JANUARY 03: New York Giants' General Manager Ernie Accorsi speaks at an end-of-season news conference at Giants Stadium. Accorsi insisted he never needed Eli Manning's last three games, or Sunday night's game-winning drive, to justif …
NEW YORK - Ernie Accorsi, the long-time NFL executive and former New York Giants general manager who brought quarterback Eli Manning to the franchise, has died. He was 84.
What we know:
Accorsi passed away peacefully on Saturday while surrounded by his family.
Born in Hershey, Pennsylvania, Accorsi capped a 37-year NFL administrative career with a nine-year tenure as general manager of the Giants from 1998 to 2006. During his leadership, the Giants won two NFC East division titles, earned four postseason appearances, and reached Super Bowl XXXV.
Accorsi's signature move in New York came during the 2004 NFL Draft when he orchestrated a blockbuster trade with the San Diego Chargers to acquire Ole Miss quarterback Eli Manning, who went on to lead the team to two Super Bowl victories. Accorsi was inducted into the Giants Ring of Honor in 2016 alongside former head coach Tom Coughlin and defensive end Justin Tuck.
What they're saying:
Giants President John Mara praised Accorsi for shaping the franchise's history and building a championship foundation.
"Ernie helped shape the course of New York Giants history through his vision, leadership and unwavering belief in building a championship organization," Mara said in a statement. "Beyond his accomplishments as a football executive, he was a trusted advisor and dear friend."
Eli Manning also expressed his gratitude following the news, noting that he called Accorsi during every draft week for over a decade to thank him for believing in him.
"I know he was the believer in me and kind of the reason I got here," Manning said. "I appreciated him so much for building such great teams and giving us the opportunity to win some championships here."
The backstory:
Before his tenure in New York, Accorsi served as the general manager for both the Baltimore Colts and the Cleveland Browns. Over his final 16 seasons as an NFL general manager, he built nine playoff teams and six division champions across the three organizations. Prior to entering NFL front offices in 1970, Accorsi worked as a sportswriter for newspapers including the Philadelphia Inquirer.
The Source: This article was written using information provided by the New York Giants.