The growth of the sport of MMA has not only captured the attention of international corporations, it's training methods are catching on with professional athletes of other sports. Chargers Fullback Lorenza Neal, Steelers Offensive Lineman Max Starks, and Viking's Defensive End Jared Allen have all clocked time in MMA gyms as part of their off-season regiment. And now, a member of the New York Giants coaching staff has begun using the fundamentals of Gracie Jiu Jitsu to turn Eli Manning into a record-breaking quarterback.

NJ.com tell's the story of Mike Sullivan, who is responsible for the molding of Manning:

Sullivan was a former defensive player and coach that Tom Coughlin converted to a wide receivers coach in 2004. And after Chris Palmer left the organization, Coughlin put Sullivan in charge of the quarterbacks, leading to some finger-pointing when Manning had what appeared to be a down year (last year).

Once the 2010 season was complete, both Sullivan and Manning sat down to discuss goals for the upcoming season. The three main goals decided upon were 'leadership, decision-making, and accuracy'. I wonder where he came up with these goals?

Improved decision-making. That was one of those goals to come from last January’s meeting, all of which are written at the three points of a triangle used by the Gracie family, the famed Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu clan admired by Sullivan, a former Army Ranger, Jiu-Jitsu blue belt and mixed-martial-arts fanatic.

Sullivan took the basics of the Gracie Family triangle and applied them on the grid-iron, proving that many lessons in jiu jitsu are not just sport specific, they're life tools.

So what happened when Manning and Sullivan began making the Gracie fundamentals their own?

Heading into (Sunday's) NFC wild-card playoff game against the Atlanta Falcons following a regular season in which Manning set a franchise record with 4,933 yards, established a career high with 8.4 yards per attempt, threw nine fewer interceptions in 50 more attempts and led five fourth-quarter comebacks, no one seems to be talking about Sullivan's short-comings.

So what happened when the Eli and the New York Giants implemented those same fundamentals in their playoff game against the Falcons? They defeated the Falcons 24-2, sending them to a Divisional Playoff game against the Green Bay Packers.

And you thought the Gracie's were limited to jiu jitsu.

You can check out the full story on Mike Sullivan and the New York Giants by going to the full story on NJ.com