NFL

Mike Francesa rips into Giants over ‘gutless’ Eli Manning move

Mike Francesa gave a voice, equal parts angry and sarcastic, to Giants fans’ feelings about the Eli Manning bombshell.

In an eight-minute rant on his WFAN show Tuesday afternoon, the radio host ripped head coach Ben McAdoo and general manager Jerry Reese for turning the franchise quarterback into the scapegoat for the disastrous results of the team they built. The 2-9 Giants sent shockwaves through the NFL when they announced Geno Smith would start Sunday against the Raiders, pushing Manning back on the depth chart for the remainder of the season.

“You’re playing guys who drop every ball in sight,” Francesa said of the Giants’ ramshackle receiving corps since losing Odell Beckham, Brandon Marshall and, at times, Sterling Shepard. “You haven’t disciplined a damn player all year. And you’re gonna blame this now on your quarterback? At 2-9? What a gutless move.”

Francesa dedicated almost as much time to slamming McAdoo’s fruitless coaching strategies as he did to criticizing Reese’s hypocritical handling of his two-time Super Bowl-winning quarterback — in his words. He was particularly aghast at the front office’s decision to vault Smith, who has a career 8-12 record as an NFL starter, into Manning’s place.

“We haven’t seen a game plan all year from this guy!” Francesa said of McAdoo.” Since he’s been the head coach the Giants have never scored 30 points EVER! And now you’re gonna tell me that your plan is to go to Geno Smith? That’s the game plan that’s gonna beat the Raiders this week?! You gotta be kidding me! You can’t run this clown out of town fast enough.”

Francesa, who is leaving his WFAN post Dec. 15, seemed to be counting down the days until Reese makes his own exit after 10 years as the Giants GM.

“Jerry Reese’s career is built on Eli Manning!” Francesa said. “His success in those two games is the only reason that Jerry Reese has got a career here! He doesn’t have a career because of how he’s drafted here, he has a career because he won two Super Bowls, won by Eli Manning! Without that, Jerry Reese is unemployed! It’s built on his back!”

At least Reese already has his two rings, Francesa reasoned, because he believes McAdoo has lost any chance he had at winning one.

“Maybe on your way out you can take a look at Eli’s rings,” he said. “That’s the closest you’re ever gonna get to one.”

Francesa’s words got under the skin of Giants defensive tackle Damon Harrison, who fired back with an insult of his own on the radio icon’s WFAN departure. The two feuded earlier this year after Francesa accused Harrison of not speaking to the media after Giants’ losses.