A lost season for Eli Manning has come to a premature close.
The New York Giants quarterback was knocked out of Sunday's finale against the Washington Redskins with a sprained ankle. Manning didn't come back out on the field after halftime and was replaced in the lineup by Curtis Painter.
Giants coach Tom Coughlin announced that Manning suffered a high ankle sprain.
Manning -- who's taken a beating all season behind a porous Giants offensive line -- was injured on a takedown by Redskins defensive lineman Chris Baker during a short pass attempt in the second quarter. It appeared Manning got his ankle rolled up on as he was dragged to the turf. He stayed in the game and threw an interception on the next play.
Manning finishes with 27 interceptions, by far the most in the league. It's only fitting his final pass of 2013 was caught by the opponent.
UPDATE: Manning also threw his support behind Coughlin at his press conference. "I'm hoping he's back and he wants to be back and the Giants want him back," Manning said, per The Star-Ledger (Newark, N.J.). "You never know how these things work out. I definitely hope he's the coach of the Giants next year."
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