Giants wide receiver Brandon Marshall is either a master of deadpan humor, a massive fan of former Jets quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick or is still interested in slighting Jake Plummer, Jay Cutler, Kyle Orton, Chad Henne and Matt Moore.
When asked on Monday if Eli Manning was the best quarterback he'd ever played with, Marshall told reporters: "He has a long way to go to dethrone Ryan Fitzpatrick, you know? He has a long way to go. So we'll see. We'll see."
By my count (video here) the statement was followed by about four seconds straight of Marshall smiling. In a way, it felt like he was waiting for people to laugh.
The best part about this comment from Marshall was how all over the place interpretations were. We have all failed.
And perhaps my personal favorite...
Marshall hopes to have a future in the television business and while his friendship and defense of Ryan Fitzpatrick is well-noted, Marshall is well-aware that, for the first time, he's playing with a quarterback who has a legitimate chance of making it into the Hall of Fame. Also, how short are our collective memories? Back in March upon signing with the Giants, Marshall unequivocally said that Manning was the best quarterback he's ever been on the same team with.
"Not probably. He is," Marshall said, via the Giants' official site. "I've played with some great quarterbacks. Ryan Fitzpatrick is probably one of my favorite quarterbacks that I've played with. I see a lot of similarities there. I don't think people realize how hard Eli works in the film room and in the classroom, and how he's an amazing leader. Obviously, we know about his physical ability. What's not reported is how hard he works off the field. With Ryan Fitzpatrick, I'm used to that type of approach, where they're leaders and they also push you in the classroom. So being able to play with a guy who's a two-time Super Bowl champion and has done some amazing things in this league for a long time, he's a warrior, and I'm looking forward to following him."
This was probably Marshall's way of propping up a good friend while maintaining the deference that all veterans must show to Manning in the Giants' locker room. If I'm wrong, Marshall will probably re-work his rankings at some point over the course of this season.
