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Unlike most rookie quarterbacks, who typically have little to no say in the team that selects them, Eli Manning was in a unique situation due to his family's football legacy. With his older brother, Peyton, already establishing himself as a superstar quarterback in the NFL and his father, Archie, being a Hall of Fame player, Eli was acutely aware of the risks and pressures that came with the position.
The Chargers had a tumultuous history with quarterbacks, having drafted Ryan Leaf second overall in 1998 and Drew Brees in the second round in 2001. The instability and repeated failures to find a franchise QB made the organization seem questionable, planting seeds of doubt in Manning's mind about potentially joining the Chargers.