The man behind the “Eli Manning” daft move is no more! The whole of the NFL is grieving the loss of A.J. Smith, the legendary general manager of the Los Angeles Chargers aka San Diego Chargers. Smith passed away on Sunday at the age of 75 after a seven-year-long battle with prostate cancer. His son, Kyle, who is now the general manager of the Atlanta Falcons, shared the sad news.

The Chargers quickly expressed their condolences to Smith’s family, with team owner Dean Spanos calling him “the architect of one of the greatest chapters in franchise history.” True to the word, Smith was the “architect” for the team’s most successful period from 2003 to 2012, leading them to 98 wins and 5 playoff appearances. Thus the news of Smith’s passing was met with sadness from many in the football world, including former quarterback Robert Griffin III. 

RG3 mourns for Chargers’ former GM

Even though former quarterback Robert Griffin III never played for the Chargers or worked with Smith, he still recognized the impact the legend had on the sport. After hearing of Smith’s passing, RG3 posted a picture with him on social media, saying  “Prayers up for the family and friends of A.J. Smith, the Winningest General Manager in Chargers’ history, who passed away today at the age of 75.”

Smith earned respect throughout his 35-year career in the NFL. He began as a part-time scout with the Giants and eventually became the Chargers’ assistant general manager. In 2003, he took over as general manager after the previous one passed away. Under Smith’s leadership, the Chargers had their most successful period, gaining numerous victories. Although they didn’t win a Super Bowl, Smith is still considered the team’s “winningest GM” because of his contributions to the roster. He brought in several Hall of Fame-worthy players to the Chargers, though he notably missed out on drafting Eli Manning.

A.J. Smith’s impact on “pulling an Eli Manning”

Back in 2004, A.J. Smith made a bold and controversial move in the NFL draft that became “one of its kind”. Eli Manning, the top quarterback coming out of Ole Miss, was a highly sought-after player. However, Manning and his father Archie had asked the Chargers not to draft him, but Smith defied their wishes and picked him anyway. This led to Manning refusing to play for the Chargers, a move that paved the way to the term “pulling an Eli.”

Manning’s stint with the Chargers was short-lived, as he was quickly traded to the New York Giants. In exchange for Manning, Smith got Philip Rivers who became one of the most successful quarterbacks in Chargers history. However, Manning’s feat was even great as he won two Super Bowls with the Giants. Thus in a way Smith not only changed the course of Manning’s career but also “the architect” behind the phrase “pulling an Eli.”