Ernie Accorsi

Ernie Accorsi (born October 29, 1941) is a former American football executive. He served as the general nmanager of the New York Giants of the National Football League. Accorsi had held the position from January 8, 1998, when he took over for the legendary George Young until his retirement on January 16, 2007. He was succeeded by Jerry Reese.

Education and early career
A 1963 graduate of Wake Forest University with a degree in journalism, Accorsi served in the U.S. Army before getting his start in sports as a reporter for the Charlotte News. He later wrote for the Baltimore Sun and the Philadelphia Inquirer before moving to the athletic departments at St. Joseph's University (PA) and then Penn State. Accorsi began his NFL career in 1970 with the Baltimore Colts as its' Public Relations Director, worked on former NFL Commissioner Pete Rozelle’s staff in the league office in 1975 before rejoining the Colts two years later as Assistant General Manager. He resigned as GM in 1983 after drafting Stanford University quarterback John Elway and then learning that the club had traded the rights to him to the NFL's Denver Broncos. In 1985, Accorsi was hired by then Cleveland Browns owner Art Modell to serve as the team's new General Manager and Executive Vice President of Football Operations, serving for seven seasons before being fired in 1992, in a whirl of controversy surrounding the releasing of then starting QB Bernie Kosar, whom Accorsi was responsible for acquiring in a NFL Supplemental Draft conducted before the 1985 season.

New York Giants
Accorsi joined the Giants in 1994 and served as an assistant to the general manager until he succeeded Young in 1998.

The Giants made one Super Bowl appearance as under Accorsi in Super Bowl XXXV, which they lost to the Baltimore Ravens, 34-7, won two NFC East division titles (2000, 2005) while making the playoffs four times (2000, 2002, 2005, 2006).

Accorsi's highest profile personnel move came at the 2004 NFL Draft, where he traded Giants first round draft choice quarterback Philip Rivers and three draft picks (a 3rd round pick in 2004 and 1st and 5th round picks in 2005) to the San Diego Chargers for Number 1 overall draft choice quarterback Eli Manning, giving the Giants a young franchise quarterback. The move met with the approval of Giants fans, who cheered loudly when the trade was announced by Commissioner Paul Tagliabue. Manning then led the Giants to playoff appearances in 2005 and 2006. In 2007, Manning led the Giants to three straight road playoff victories, culminating in a victory over the then-undefeated Patriots in Super Bowl XLII. Following the 2011 season, Manning would capture the Super Bowl XLVI title. Manning was named MVP of both Super Bowl XLII and XLVI, confirming Accorsi's belief that Manning was a star talent.

Accorsi is also responsible for drafting stars Osi Umenyiora, Chris Snee, Justin Tuck, Mathias Kiwanuka, and Brandon Jacobs, as well as signing through free agency Antonio Pierce, Kareem McKenzie, Plaxico Burress, and Fred Robbins. He hired current head coach Tom Coughlin after the 2003 season dismissal of Jim Fassel.

On November 9, 2012, Accorsi was hired by the Carolina Panthers as a consultant after general manager Marty Hurney was fired.

Previous positions
Accorsi has been the general manager of two other NFL franchises, the Baltimore Colts, from 1982 to 1983, and the Cleveland Browns, from 1985 to 1992.

He served as Penn State's Assistant Sports Publicity Director in the late 1960s.

Personal
Accorsi is a 1963 graduate of Wake Forest University.

Accorsi served as an analyst for the NFL Network coverage of the 2008 Senior Bowl.