If Pat Shurmur is leaving the door open for a quarterback competition, Eli Manning isn't buying it.
The Giants quarterback told NFL Network's Rhett Lewis in an interview that will air Friday night that he does not think there is a quarterback competition between himself and first-round pick Daniel Jones.
"I mean no, I don't feel like it's a competition," he said at the Manning Passing Academy. "I feel like I've got to do my job and I've got to compete every day and try to get better every day. That's the way it's been my whole life and that's just the way I've always approached practice every day to improve, to earn my place on the team, to earn the respect of the teammates and do it each year."
It is a much different tune than what Shurmur said as the Giants wrapped up OTAs earlier this month.
The Giants head coach would not commit to Manning as his starting quarterback.
"I think we're going to play the very best player," he said. "I know we're dancing around the words here, but right now, Eli is getting ready to have a great year and Daniel is getting ready to play. You just see what happens with it."
The Giants selected Jones with the sixth overall pick in the draft this year to eventually replace Manning at some point. When that point will come is still ambiguous.
GM Dave Gettleman has suggested Jones sit behind and learn from Manning between one and three seasons.
Manning, who is in his final year of his contract at 38 years old, said he is comfortable taking on a mentorship role with Jones.
"We've got new guys and I'm trying to build a relationship with them and get them up to speed and so I'm trying to do my job in the quarterback room," Manning said. "I've always been good with young quarterbacks, whoever's been in there, trying to get them up to speed, teaching them about defenses or styles or what our defense plays. So I'm doing the same thing with Daniel and I'm going to be a good teammate, I'm going to do the best that I can do and help everybody on the Giants be successful."