Giants' Mario Manningham: '75 Percent' Unlikely To Return? More Like '50-50'
NEW YORK (WFAN) -- Mario Manningham sure looked good in blue when he made the Giants' game-saving catch in Super Bowl XLVI.
An encore seemed unlikely Monday. The free-agent-to-be reportedly told The Vindicator of Youngstown, Ohio, recently that he was "75 percent" sure he wouldn't return to New York.
How quickly things change.
"I didn't say that," Manningham told WFAN's Boomer Esiason and Craig Carton Tuesday. "You know how rumors get spread and I didn't say anything like that."
So what are the chances he'd re-sign with the Giants?
"It's 50-50," said Manningham. "We're not sure what's going on right now. We're just gonna take it slow and just see what's going on. You know, let the smoke clear a little bit."
LISTEN: Manningham with Boomer & Carton
Manningham also refuted a report which stated the wide receiver was expected to follow former Giants assistant coach Mike Sullivan to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Sullivan left New York this offseason to run Greg Schiano's offense in Tampa Bay.
"That's just words. You know how the media do it, man," Manningham told Boomer and Carton. "People don't really know what's going on, like, they don't know where I really want to go."
Manningham caught 39 passes for 523 yards and four touchdowns during the 2011 regular season. His numbers suffered due to a lingering knee issue — and the emergence of fan favorite Victor Cruz.
The 25-year-old said his preference would be to re-sign with Big Blue and make a repeat run at the Lombardi Trophy.
"That's what I want to do," Manningham said. "I want to stay here."
Manningham was unsure whether he'd take less money to stay with the Giants. He'll wait to see "what's going on with the rest of the receivers" when free agency starts next month.
"I just want to go wherever God leads me, man, that's all," said Manningham. "I just want to go to somebody good (where) I can compete for the Super Bowl again."
Giants fans, do you want the team to re-sign Manningham? Sound off below...
