Manning still mum on Chargers-Giants' draft-day trade

Eli Manning has been the franchise quarterback of the New York Giants for long enough now that's it's easy to forget he was first drafted by the San Diego Chargers in 2004.

Shortly after being selected, Manning was dealt to New York. The rest is history. 

However, history has a way of coming back up, and with the Giants scheduled to take on the Chargers this Sunday, reporters  peppered Manning Wednesday night with questions about why he refused to play for San Diego. 

In true Manning form, he simply replied, "I just can't remember. It's been 10 years. It slipped my mind," reported Newsday.

For those who don't remember the story, it was widely believed that Manning's father, Archie Manning, did not want his son drafted by the Chargers, and had instructed Eli's agent Tom Condon, who also represented Chargers coach Marty Schottenheimer at the time, to tell San Diego not to draft Eli. 

The rumor also circulated that the younger Manning was threatening to sit out the season if San Diego drafted him. 

Archie disputed this story in public, but, as The Houston Chronicle reported at the time, he only denied mentioning the Giants to Condon.  

Nevertheless, San Diego did draft Manning, and the Giants drafted Philip Rivers. What happened next, no one really knows, but a trade was done, and the two quarterbacks switched teams. 

Rivers had a more candid response on Wednesday night when asked the same question. 

"I honestly believe had the trade not been close to going down or already the plan, I don't think the Giants would have drafted me. I never spoke to any member of the Giants' organization on draft day."

Perhaps the best response came from Giants head coach Tom Couglin, when asked if he regretted then-general manager Ernie Accorsi's decision.

"There's a couple of things out in the hallway," Couglin said, referencing the Lombardi Trophies.  "You might want to take a look.''