Former New York Giants quarterback Eli Manning said he supports athletes who take political positions, but warned they should be prepared to face possible criticism if they do so.
The two-time Super Bowl-winning quarterback spoke to CNBC Sport about political activism in sports after current Giants signal-caller Jaxson Dart came under scrutiny for introducing President Donald Trump at a rally outside New York. His decision to publicly support Trump was met with backlash, including public criticism from teammate Abdul Carter.
“Athletes should be allowed to do it if they feel strong politically or if they support someone, that’s fine,” Manning told CNBC. “You just have to understand that there will be teammates, fans and people who think differently about it.”
The 23-year-old quarterback had so much reaction to the decision that he subsequently disabled comments on his Instagram account. He then spoke to his Giants teammates about his decision to attend the rally, according to reports.
“I love every one of my teammates, regardless of politics,” he said in a statement Friday.
Manning said political differences could be a way to bring new conversations and better understanding between teammates.
“I hope it doesn’t create friction or divisions within the team, I hope it creates a good conversation and brings a team together,” he added. “You may not agree with everyone and their beliefs, or what they believe in, but you can still work together, trust each other, compete together and try to do your craft and your job together at a high level.”
Manning said he did not publicly address politics during his own playing career, a decision that partly contributed to him and his brother Peyton becoming pitchers for a number of high-profile brands, including DirectTV, Nationwide, Corona and Pepsi.
“It wasn’t something I was initially passionate about, so it’s just easier to stay out of it,” he said.
