Add Michael Strahan to the long list of people who think Eli Manning is getting a raw deal from the New York Giants.
The former Giants defensive star, Hall of Famer and popular "Good Morning America" host is venting his anger about the Giants' decision to bench Manning in favor of Geno Smith this Sunday.
“It just — it just pisses me off. Pisses me off," Strahan told New York's WCBS Friday.
Manning, a two-time Super Bowl MVP and a popular figure in New York, has made 210 consecutive starts, which is the second-longest streak for a quarterback in history. But the 2-9 Giants are struggling, and coach Ben McAdoo wants to use the last few games this season to evaluate Smith and possibly rookie QB Davis Webb.
Strahan told ProFootballTalk it's unfair to blame Manning for the team's woes this year.
"I think we’re all surprised and disappointed,” Strahan said. “I don’t think they’re handling it very well. I don’t think you put it all on Eli, the season of failure on his part. I think it’s a team game, team sport, we all understand that. Sometimes one person gets thrown under the bus as a martyr and that seems to be Eli in this case.
“Here’s a guy who’s been the epitome of this organization, the class of this organization for a long time, for 14 seasons. And with four games to go that aren’t going to change the season one way or the other, this just isn’t right. I don’t think there’s any player, current or former, who feels like this is right.”