Legendary NFL executive Ernie Accorsi, who brought Eli Manning and Tom Coughlin to the Giants, dies at 84

Ernie Accorsi, the legendary NFL executive who brought Eli Manning and Tom Coughlin to the New York Giants, has passed away at 84, the team announced Sunday.

No cause of death was given, but Accorsi 'passed away peacefully Saturday while surrounded by the love of his family,' according to the Giants' statement.

A member of the Giants Ring of Honor, Accorsi's stewardship of the team led to a pair of NFC East crowns and four playoff berths before his 2006 retirement. But the moves he made would help the organization add two more Lombardi Trophies with wins over the favored New England Patriots in Super Bowls XLII and XLVI.

In a team statement, the 80-year-old Coughlin credited Accorsi with one of the smartest minds in football and a distinct sense of humor.

'Ernie was very decisive, very opinionated,' Coughlin said. 'His mind was as sharp as a tack. He loved to laugh. He was a great storyteller, great storyteller. He loved to have an audience and laugh, and then everyone else would laugh with him. He was great with punchlines. He was one of those.

'He was very loyal,' said Coughlin, who survived a few lean years before winning two Super Bowls with the Giants. 'Very, very loyal. My experience, of course, Ernie and [team co-owner] John Mara interviewed me when I became the head coach back in 2004. I didn't realize that within a couple of years, Ernie was getting ready to retire. Nevertheless, we had a great challenge and we went forward from there. I always enjoyed working with Ernie, I always enjoyed talking with Ernie.'

Remarkably, Accorsi's career in football began as the public relations director of the Baltimore Colts in 1970.

A communications graduate from Wake Forest, the Pennsylvania native would spend a year at the league office before returning to Baltimore as the team's assistant general manager in 1977.

He was promoted to general manager in 1982, leading to the infamous standoff with first-overall draft pick and New York Yankees minor leaguer John Elway. Using his baseball career as leverage, the former Stanford quarterback would ultimately force a trade to the Denver Broncos.

Later it emerged that Colts owner Bob Irsay overruled Accorsi, who was demanding three first-round picks in exchange for Elway instead of the three forgettable players Baltimore received from Denver in the deal.

Accorsi's time in Baltimore is also remembered for his decision to draft Ohio State quarterback Art Schlichter in 1982. Schlichter would battle gambling addiction and later served a 10-year prison sentence for theft and public indecency.

After resigning in Baltimore in 1983, Accorsi surfaced with the Cleveland Browns in 1985 before joining legendary NFL executive George Young's staff with the Giants in 1994. Accorsi served as assistant GM until Young's retirement in 1997, when he was promoted to general manager.

Later, in 2016, Accorsi thanked the Giants faithful for their support as he was being inducted into the team's ring of honor alongside Coughlin and Justin Tuck.

'I will always cherish the memory of Wellington and Ann Mara and Bob Tisch, who gave me the opportunity to be a general manager, and George Young who brought me here 22 years ago,' Accorsi told the crowd. '[And] every one of you, the best fans of the best franchise in sports. Every player to ever wear the Giant blue. If I can take a line from the great Yankee Clipper, I want to thank the good Lord for making me a New York Giant.' 

Accorsi's career may be best remembered for the acquisition of Manning.

The Ole Miss standout was famously taken with the first-overall pick in the 2004 NFL Draft by the San Diego Chargers, but was promptly traded to New York for a bevy of picks and fellow rookie quarterback Philip Rivers.

Manning still credits Accorsi for bringing him to the Giants.  

'I was extremely sad to hear the news about Ernie,' Manning said in the team statement. 'I call Ernie every draft week for the last 12 years, maybe longer than that, and just thank him for making the trade and believing in me and bringing me to the New York Giants.

'I know he was the believer in me and kind of the reason I got here. I appreciated him so much for building such great teams and giving us the opportunity to win some championships here. He was always so fun to sit with and just talk, whether it's the Giants or his time in Baltimore around the Colts. His stories around the NFL and the people he was around that shaped his career were always so entertaining. 

'I know the Giants organization owes a lot of thanks to Ernie Accorsi and what he was able to do for the organization.'

In addition to Giants co-owner John Mara and Tuck, NFL commissioner Roger Goodell also released a statement on Accorsi's passing.  

'Ernie Accorsi was one of the most respected football minds in NFL history and a dear friend whose wisdom and perspective I valued tremendously,' Goodell said. 'Throughout his remarkable career, he shaped championship-caliber clubs and earned the admiration of everyone who worked with him.

'Ernie's impact extended beyond the teams he served. As co-chair of the General Managers Advisory Committee, he helped guide our game and strengthen the NFL. His integrity, common sense and commitment to doing what was best for football made him an invaluable voice.

'Ernie was thoughtful, humble, and he cared deeply about the people in our league. He never lost sight of the relationships that make football special and we will all greatly miss him.'

Accorsi's draft picks over the years have included quarterback Bernie Kosar and running back Eric Metcalf in Cleveland, as well as New York stars like tight end Jeremy Shockey and defensive ends Osi Umenyiora and Justin Tuck. 

'My football career is very synonymous with Ernie,' Tuck said in a team statement. 'He had drafted me and then us going in the Ring of Honor together and then just our interactions throughout my career while at the Giants, he was a man who always did things the right way. 

'He always had a good demeanor. I didn't get to know him much outside of football, but just in football, you could tell the character of him and who he was as a person just by how he interacted with us on the football side of things. It's always tough when you lose a guy like him because of what he meant to not only the Giants, but the NFL as a whole. 

'My thoughts and prayers go out to him and his family. It's a sad day for football fans.'