Eli Manning Offers Young Players Advice On How To Beat The Heat
UNION, N.J. (CBSNewYork) – NFL training camps open in just over two weeks.
Many young players in the area are already putting on the pads in these 90-degree temperatures. So what better player to give advice on dealing with the conditions than two-time Super Bowl MVP Eli Manning?
As CBS2's Otis Livingston reported, hydration was the theme Tuesday as Manning participated in the Offense-Defense Youth Football Camp on behalf of the Gatorade Beat the Heat program. The 14-year NFL veteran passed on some sage advice.
"I know I have a better plan to attack it now than when I was 14 years old. In between two-a-days, I would go for a swim and drink a soda. Now, it's wake up and start hydrating right from the get go," he said.
The New York Giants are coming off a terrible 2-14 season, where Manning's 210 game streak as starting quarterback came to an abrupt end. Now, they have a new general manager, coach and players, and Manning's looking forward to hitting the restart button.
"That's the great thing about football is what you did last year doesn't matter. Good or bad, it's all about what you can do this year. (I'm) excited about the guys we have, the new coaches. (I've) been texting with the guys, and everybody's excited to get rolling and see what we can do this year," he said.
Manning isn't alone. His talented teammates on the offense, led by Odell Beckham Jr., are so excited they put together a music video on Instagram documenting their recent shirtless workouts.
"I know they'll have to make some adjustments. We do practice with our shirts on with the Giants, so I know the friction. They'll have to make an adjustment the first few weeks, so it might be something new for them and take some time to get used to that," said Manning.
After he spoke to the kids Tuesday at Kean University, he even participated in the team portion of drills and played quarterback, of course. He looked in mid-season form, tossing his touchdown pass to a lucky camper.
"I was like, I better catch this ball," camper Justin Valentin said. "Speechless."