Derek Jeter always had the correct answers to decode every riddle on the baseball diamond. Reasonably, he became an all-time baseball great. But he had to overcome numerous struggles in his journey to the mountainous peaks of his career. Therefore, he is considered to be one of the right people to guide people to the best effect, through learning from his own experiences.?
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Jeter played as the New York Yankees shortstop throughout his MLB career. Amidst highs and lows, he triumphed to become a 14-time All-Star and a five-time World Series champion. Thus, he had honorable records on display, befitting a mentor’s role.??
Eli Manning is an NFL star who belongs to a royal NFL lineage. A member of the Manning football dynasty, Eli also became a New York sporting icon, just like Jeter. Eli played through his entire NFL career as the New York Giants quarterback. He guided the Giants to two Super Bowl victories. Back in 2004, when Eli hit a rough patch, he got a surprise call from Jeter with some valuable advice.?
Derek Jeter had an uplifting message for Eli Manning in his challenging times?
Derek Jeter?already had enough playing experience by the time Eli Manning began his professional career. Making his NFL debut for the Giants in 2004, Eli was on the verge of losing his first six games. Then on a Saturday night, Jeter called up Eli before he participated in a Sunday game. In an interview with the NFL Network in 2014, Eli shared his flashback memories of that telephonic conversation with Jeter.?
Eli recalled Jeter’s words saying, “He said, ‘Keep grinding, keep working hard, keep your head up and things will get easier.’ It meant a lot to me at the time. I was trying to figure things out. I was trying to learn to play quarterback in New York, with the New York media and everything that goes along with being an athlete in this area.” ?
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Eli further added, “Obviously I knew who Derek Jeter was, and he was playing great and winning championships and seemed to have everything going for him. I appreciated him just reaching out to me. Maybe (it was because he) knew what it was like as a rookie.”?
The lives of the two athletes in the present day?
Jeter retired from baseball in 2014 and got inducted into the MLB Hall Of Fame in 2020. He served as the joint owner and CEO of the Miami Marlins from 2017 to 2022. Presently, Jeter mostly spends time with his family.?
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On the other hand, Eli retired from football in 2019. Following on, he worked as an NFL analyst on the ESPN channel. He presently hosts his own sports-travel show titled Eli’s Places on ESPN+.?