
27. Benching Eli
Depending on who you ask, Eli Manning was either an elite quarterback or just consistently solid on a good team. However, one thing that is certain is that there was a massive controversy in 2017. The Giants benched their greatest-ever QB for the first time in favor of Geno Smith. Brian McAdoo immediately attracted criticism because of the move. Furthermore, it didn’t work out and may have had a massive impact on the franchise’s progression.

“No one will ever come out and say it but I believe the reaction to Eli’s benching is a large part of the reason the Giants chose not to draft a QB with the second overall pick,” one fan told Bleacher Report. This is a bold take but one that stacks up. This incident embarrassed McAdoo and his minions, but it also had a profound impact on the franchise’s ability to compete over the next 10 years.