Eli Manning was hailed as one of the NFL’s top quarterbacks after he drove the New York Giants downfield and delivered the winning touchdown pass with 15 seconds left to beat New England on Sunday.

Hours before, NFL Today commentator and former Denver Broncos tight end Shannon Sharpe sat down with Carson Palmer to discuss the quarterback’s controversial departure from the Bengals, telling him “I’m not going to sit here and try to sugarcoat it. I said you quit on your teammates.”

I wonder if Sharpe told former Broncos quarterback John Elway the same thing as Elway and Sharpe were winning two Super Bowls together. Elway, let’s not forget, told the Baltimore Colts he wouldn’t play for them if the Colts made him the top pick in 1983. They did anyway, and Elway demanded a trade.

That, by the way, worked out nicely for Sharpe.

Manning told the Chargers the same thing before the 2004 draft, but was drafted and dealt to the Giants. But both won Super Bowls, so all is forgiven.

I find it interesting the two players sticking up for Palmer were former Bengals quarterback Boomer Esiason and former Dolphins QB Dan Marino.

Said Esiason: “I’m not going to sit here and attack Carson because I know what it was like playing there in Cincinnati.”

Added Marino, who led the Dolphins to one Super Bowl appearance: “He only has one career.”

I wonder how long Elway and Manning would have stuck around had their careers started in Cincinnati?