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The 10 greatest false alarms in NFL history: an April Fools special

By Erik Lambert

NEW YORK CITY - APRIL 24: Quarterback Eli Manning (Mississippi) stands next to his older brother QB Peyton Manning of the Indianapolis Colts after Eli was selected first overall by the San Diego Chargers at the 2004 NFL Draft on April 24, 2004 at Madison Square Garden in New York City. Manning was later traded to the New York Giants in exchange for QB Philip Rivers (North Carolina State) and New York's third-round pick (No. 65), which they use to select Iowa K Nate Kaeding, and the Giants' first-round and fifth-round picks in the 2005 draft. (Photo by Chris Trotman/Getty Images)
NEW YORK CITY - APRIL 24: Quarterback Eli Manning (Mississippi) stands next to his older brother QB Peyton Manning of the Indianapolis Colts after Eli was selected first overall by the San Diego Chargers at the 2004 NFL Draft on April 24, 2004 at Madison Square Garden in New York City. Manning was later traded to the New York Giants in exchange for QB Philip Rivers (North Carolina State) and New York's third-round pick (No. 65), which they use to select Iowa K Nate Kaeding, and the Giants' first-round and fifth-round picks in the 2005 draft. (Photo by Chris Trotman/Getty Images) /
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NEW YORK CITY – APRIL 24: Quarterback Eli Manning (Mississippi) stands next to his older brother QB Peyton Manning of the Indianapolis Colts after Eli was selected first overall by the San Diego Chargers at the 2004 NFL Draft on April 24, 2004 at Madison Square Garden in New York City. Manning was later traded to the New York Giants in exchange for QB Philip Rivers (North Carolina State) and New York’s third-round pick (No. 65), which they use to select Iowa K Nate Kaeding, and the Giants’ first-round and fifth-round picks in the 2005 draft. (Photo by Chris Trotman/Getty Images)
NEW YORK CITY – APRIL 24: Quarterback Eli Manning (Mississippi) stands next to his older brother QB Peyton Manning of the Indianapolis Colts after Eli was selected first overall by the San Diego Chargers at the 2004 NFL Draft on April 24, 2004 at Madison Square Garden in New York City. Manning was later traded to the New York Giants in exchange for QB Philip Rivers (North Carolina State) and New York’s third-round pick (No. 65), which they use to select Iowa K Nate Kaeding, and the Giants’ first-round and fifth-round picks in the 2005 draft. (Photo by Chris Trotman/Getty Images) /

02. Eli Manning refuses to play for Chargers and forces trade to Giants

Archie Manning is a man made of stern stuff. He knows what it’s like to play his entire career for a franchise that is never truly committed to winning. Going into 2004, he was making it his mission to ensure that his youngest son Eli Manning would not have to endure the same fate? The reasoning behind this was simple. The San Diego Chargers, who’d been bad for a long time the past several years, held the #1 pick and word was they were looking for a quarterback.

Having seen the disaster that was Ryan Leaf and their sometimes-mishandling of Drew Brees, Archie wasn’t keen on letting them get Eli. So before the draft, it was declared that if the Chargers picked him, he would refuse to play for them. That didn’t stop them from making the pick anyway. Manning fulfilled his obligation to pose with a Chargers jersey, but it was clear he wasn’t happy.

The draft continued and it looked like Manning would be forced to follow through on his threat, but he was saved when the New York Giants called with a trade package offer that included the #4 pick and a future 1st rounder. A pick that was used to select QB Philip Rivers. San Diego accepted the deal and Manning became a Giant. He eventually won two Super Bowls, leaving some to wonder what might’ve happen had the Chargers held their ground and called his bluff.

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