NFL

Eli thinks he won’t play this weekend

Eli Manning, who always plays, doesn’t think he’ll play in Saturday night’s preseason game against the Steelers, the Giants first-ever home game at New Meadowlands Stadium.

Manning needed 12 stitches to close a three-inch gash in his forehead incurred in the second quarter of Monday night’s 31-16 preseason victory over the Jets. Manning today underwent a battery of tests at the Hospital for Special Surgery and although he said he passed all the tests and definitely does not have a concussion, the wound on his head will make it difficult to put on a helmet and play.

“They haven’t given me an exact timeframe when I’ll be back,” Manning said on ESPN 1050. “I have a feeling I might be out this upcoming week just trying to get these stitches healed up. I don’t know when I’ll be able to put the helmet on. Hopefully I’ll be able to rig something up, I might have to being out an old leather helmet to get some practice in this week. I don’t want to be sitting around doing nothing. I feel I can play, the helmet might be the only restriction right now.”

As for the tests, Manning said they were done to “make sure there’s no further damage to my brain or skull and stuff, everything looks fine. That’s all good news.”

Manning’s helmet flew off his head during a strange play, as he collided with running back Brandon Jacobs to loosen his chinstrap, then was hit from the back by Jets linebacker Calvin Pace, which caused the ball to come loose and Manning’s helmet to fly off as he was thrust forward, his head slamming into the facemask of safety Jim Leonhard. Blood began pouring out of Manning’s forehead like some horror movie.

“I probably did panic a little bit, I saw it gushing out and put my hand on it and it went all over my hand and all over the place,” Manning said. “I knew I fumbled the ball. I wasn’t looking to recover the football at the time. I was looking at the trainers and saying hey, get out here, something’s going on.

I wasn’t in pain, I wasn’t dinged, at first I was probably in a little panic but once I got it stopped bleeding and gushing I calmed down.”

Manning went home before the game was over and watched the conclusion of the action, as well as replays of the fateful play.

“I was cool with it,” Manning said of the Jets aggressiveness on the play. “They’re playing football. If you’re not playing full speed that’s not what it’s about. I’m trying to score touchdowns and do everything I can. You got a free shot at the quarterback you take the hit. There was no foul play in there at all.”

Manning traveled back to Albany last night to join his teammates. He said he was worried how he’d feel this morning but was relieved that he did not have a headache. “My body and my mind and my head all feel very good. I didn’t feel bad. It wasn’t like I was knocked out. Even right after it, it wasn’t like I was in pain or discomfort of any sort.”

Manning joked that his movie career might actually be enhanced.

“I think it might help it, now I can be the bad guy,” he said. “I have the full scar on the forehead. My part might not look the same, they had to shave a little bit of my head. My hairdo for the next for few weeks, I have to decide what route I’ll have to take.”

As for when he can return to practice, Manning said “It’s just a matter of when I can put a helmet on and get the stitches taken out.”