Ernie Accorsi, the former Giants GM whose seminal moves to acquire Eli Manning and hire Tom Coughlin as coach led to two Super Bowl titles, died Saturday night, the team announced Sunday. He was 84.

Accorsi, who had a brief battle with cancer, was an Army veteran and a former sportswriter before embarking on a 37-year career in NFL front offices, serving as GM of the Giants from 1998-2006 after working as an assistant under George Young for four seasons.

During Accorsi’s tenure, the Giants captured two NFC East titles and four postseason berths, losing Super Bowl XXXV to the Ravens in the 2000 campaign. He joined Young as the only general managers in team history to be inducted into the franchise’s Ring of Honor in 2016.

Accorsi also engineered the trade with the Chargers to move up in the draft to get Manning with the first overall pick in 2004, a few months after hiring Coughlin as Jim Fassel’s replacement.

Giants great Michael Strahan puts a Ring of Honor jacket on former general manager Ernie Accorsi as he is honored during a Ring of Honor ceremony at halftime of a game against the Cincinnati Bengals at MetLife Stadium on Monday, Nov. 14, 2016. Charles Wenzelberg/NY Post

“Ernie helped shape the course of New York Giants history through his vision, leadership and unwavering belief in building a championship organization,” Giants president John Mara said. “Beyond his accomplishments as a football executive, he was a trusted advisor and dear friend.

“His legacy will forever be part of the Giants, and he will be greatly missed.”

Born in Hershey, Pa. in 1941, Accorsi attended Wake Forest and initially worked as a sportswriter in Charlotte, Baltimore and Philadelphia. He also served as the general manager of the Baltimore Colts and the Cleveland Browns before his time with the Giants.

Eli Manning (c.) poses with former Giants coach Tom Coughlin (r.) and former Giants GM Ernie Accorsi (l.) at the team’s training facility on Jan. 24, 2020. Manning spoke at a press conference after announcing his retirement. Charles Wenzelberg/NY Post

“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. “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 retired following the 2006 season, but was given a championship ring when the Giants defeated the previously undefeated Patriots in Super Bowl XLII the following year.

Giants general manager Ernie Accorsi speaks to the media at Giants Stadium in East Rutherford, N.J., Monday, Jan. 3, 2005. Jeff Zelevansky for NY Post

Coach Jim Fassel, left, and general manager Ernie Accorsi flank Ron Dayne, their No. 1 draft choice, on Thursday, April 20, 2000. Bob Olen/NY Post

“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,” Coughlin said. “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.”

Manning said he was “extremely sad” to hear about Accorsi’s passing.

“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,” Manning added. “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.”

Giants general manager Ernie Accorsi, left, and head coach Tom Coughlin get ready for the morning session of the National Football League annual meeting in Orlando, Fla., Wednesday, March 29, 2006. ASSOCIATED PRESS

Former New York Giants general manager Ernie Accorsi, left, Fr. Dowd, and New York Giants general manager Jerry Reese, right, talk on the field before the Super Bowl XLII football game between the New England Patriots and the New York Giants at University of Phoenix Stadium on Sunday, Feb. 3, 2008. Charles Wenzelberg/NY Post

Others drafted by Accorsi with the Giants included Amani Toomer, Justin Tuck, Osi Umenyiora, Jeremy Shockey, Chris Snee and Brandon Jacobs.

“My football career is very synonymous with Ernie,” Tuck said. “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.”

Accorsi is survived by his three children, Michael, Sherlyn and Patrick and their families.

“It was the honor of my dad’s lifetime to represent the Baltimore Colts, Cleveland Browns, and New York Giants, three organizations that meant so much to him throughout his remarkable career,” the family statement read. “Our family is deeply grateful to each of them and to the many people who became lifelong friends along the way.

“We are especially grateful to the New York Giants organization, John Mara, Ronnie Barnes, and the late Wellington Mara for their friendship, loyalty, and love for my father over so many years. The Giants were far more than a team to him. They were family, and being part of that family was something he treasured. Once a Giant, always a Giant.”