### BREAKING: Giants Icon Eli Manning Exposes ‘Cheating’ Calls by Referees as Eagles Lose to Giants

**New York, NY – October 10, 2025** – In a statement that shocked the NFL community, New York Giants legend Eli Manning famously criticized a string of “cheating” calls by referees in the game between the Philadelphia Eagles and the New York Giants last weekend. With two Super Bowl rings and a legendary MVP award, Manning – who has beaten the Eagles in high-profile playoff games – repeatedly called these calls “white-house assists” that could have won the Philadelphia team.

The battle at MetLife Stadium, where the Giants unexpectedly came from behind to win 27-24, became the center of controversy from the very last minute. The Eagles led 24-17 with four minutes left, but a series of decisions from the most important officials – led by referee Carl Cheffers – changed the picture. Manning, now a co-host of ESPN’s *ManningCast*, shared his views in a clip that quickly went viral, detailing the “overall errors” he said were primarily targeted.

#### Exposed Rigging Calls: From Ignored PIs to “Unfair” Late Hits
Manning, with 16 seasons in the NFL and hundreds of games under his belt with the Eagles, points to the three most controversial calls – calls that could have cost Philadelphia at least 14 points:

1. **No Pass Interference Penalty (PI) on AJ Brown (Q4, 2:45 Remaining)**:
With the Eagles on offense in the red zone, wide receiver AJ Brown was visibly pulled by Giants cornerback Deonte Banks, a call that under NFL rules should have been a 15-yard penalty and an automatic first down. Cheffers and his crew missed it, resulting in an incomplete pass and touchdown. “I watched it 10 times,” Manning said in the clip. “It’s not a foul – it’s cheating. If it were the other way around, the Giants would have had the ball at the Eagles’ 20-yard line.” This could have led to a touchdown, instead of the Giants getting the ball back and scoring a tying touchdown.

2. **Intentional Grounding on QB Jalen Hurts Canceled (Q4, 1:15 Left)**:
On a third-and-long matter, Hurts was pressured and threw the ball to the ground to avoid being sacked. Initially, the referee called intentional grounding – a dangerous penalty that could have pushed the Eagles back and lost the ball. However, after review, the penalty was overturned due to “insufficient evidence.” Manning called it a “one-deck-backed decision.” “They gave the Eagles a second chance, but in reality, they were studying the Giants from the turnover. It’s a way to prolong the game and create drama – but it’s not fair.”

3. **Late Hit Penalty On Running Back Saquon Barkley (Q4, 0:45 Left)**:
Most Fateful Play: With the Eagles leading 24-20 and the ball at midfield, Barkley (who was a Giants star before being traded to Philadelphia) was legally tackled by linebacker Bryce Huff. But the referee called an unnecessary 15-yard fumble on Huff, giving the Giants their first field goal. This led to a Giants field goal decision, which ended the Eagles’ hopes of a touchdown. “I’ve played with these refs my whole career,” Manning commented. “They know how to ‘help’ their team. Late hits? That’s clean football. This is how they cheat to keep the Giants in the playoff race.”

These plays not only cost the Eagles the game, but also sparked a firestorm of criticism from fans. On X (formerly Twitter), the hashtag #RiggedForGiants trended with more than 50,000 posts in just 24 hours, many citing the Manning clip as evidence. One Eagles fan wrote: “Eli is right – refs have this going on. From PI misses to late fake hits, it’s all against us!”

#### NFL and Eagles React: Legal War Coming?
The NFL has yet to officially respond, but league sources say they will review the revelations from Philadelphia. Eagles coach Nick Sirianni, in his post-game press conference, refrained: “We’re focused on football, not refs. But those decisions… we’ll send the tape to New York.” Eagles president Jeffrey Lurie has been known to fight against “ref bias” in the past, and has had his football teammates prepare for official burnouts – which could result in fines for the referees or even replaying part of the game.

For the Giants, the win was a “poison pill” in the middle of a poor season (currently 2-4 in the NFC East). But Manning, even a former Giant, isn’t always about defending his home turf. “I love the Giants, but football has to be fair,” he insisted. “Otherwise, my 2011 Super Bowl would be in question.”

#### The Bigger Impact: Is the NFL “Cleaner” After This Scandal?
Manning’s comments didn’t stop at one game – they sparked a long-running debate about NFL transparency. From “Deflategate” to the military teams