Former NFL GM dead at 84; Goodell releases statement

NFLNew York Giants draft pick Eli Manning holds up his new Giants jersey as he poses with coach Tom Coughlin, left, and general manager Ernie Accorsi Saturday, April 24, 2004, in East Rutherford, N.J. The San Diego Chargers chose Manning with the No. 1 pick overall and the Giants swapped their No. 4 pick, quarterback Philip Rivers, and draft picks for Manning. (AP Photo/Bill Kostroun)APFormer New York Giants general manager Ernie Accorsi, who became only the second GM inducted into the Giants Ring of Honor, died peacefully Saturday while surrounded by his family. He was 84.“Ernie Accorsi was one of the most respected football minds in NFL history and a dear friend whose wisdom and perspective I valued tremendously,” NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell said in a statement. “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 was instrumental in bringing Tom Coughlin and Eli Manning to the franchise, “I was extremely sad to hear the news about Ernie,” Manning said in a 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.”Accorsi served as the Giants’ general manager from 1998-2006 after serving as an assistant under George Young for four seasons. In Accorsi’s nine years as GM, the Giants won two NFC East titles, earned four postseason berths, and advanced to Super Bowl XXXV. He retired at the conclusion of the 2006 season. The Giants won the Super Bowl the following season and again in 2011.Accorsi’s 37-year career included successful stints as the general manager of the Baltimore Colts and the Cleveland Browns. In his last 16 years as a general manager, Accorsi had nine playoff teams, including six division champions. The Giants, Browns and Colts won a combined 143 regular-season and postseason games under his stewardship.“Ernie was very decisive, very opinionated. His mind was as sharp as a tack,” Coughlin said. “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. Very, very loyal. My experience, of course, Ernie and 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.“Ernie will always be remembered, and I say this out of great respect, he’s the guy that made the trade for Eli Manning. That will go down in Giants history as one of the great moves of all time. Was it risky? Sure it was risky. Ernie did it. Shut the door, went in, he did it on his own. It was his move. He had followed Eli from the time Eli was a very young player at Ole Miss, and he was convinced that Eli was the franchise quarterback that the Giants needed. He was not going to be deterred. He saw an opportunity. I think both teams benefitted greatly from the decision, and Ernie pulled the trigger.”Mark Heim is a senior writer who provides sports, news and trending content. He co-hosts a daily sports radio show on WNSP-FM 105.5 in Mobile. Heim has been recognized with awards for his writing, headlines and...