By Scott Salomon
Arch Manning is taking the position that he would rather concentrate on football than take part in the new EA Sports College Football 25 video game, due to release later this year.
However, Chris Fowler, who is a play-by-play announcer in the game, revealed this week that there will be a second opt-in window in the spring. Perhaps Manning will have a change of heart by then?
Don't count on it. Mannings cannot be bought and certainly not for $600.00 and a copy of a video game.
While Peyton and Eli have done their share of endorsements, they were paid handsomely for them and they were the respective leaders of their teams. It almost came with the territory.
Arch is still a backup and is leaving the endorsement market for later in his college career. Plus, it's not like he needs the money to buy lunch, or can't afford to buy the game on his own dime. It is commendable that the youngest Manning is putting his principles and reputation as a leader over NIL and a video game.
Did EA Sports actually think that you could acquire the Manning name so cheaply? I do not believe that the Texas QB would sacrifice his principles over the mighty dollar. Even if EA Sports added a few zeroes to the end of that number, I still believe that Manning would still pass.
While 10,000 other college football players have opted in and bought into the cheap promotion, Manning is taking a stand and won't allow his name, image, or likeness to be used in the game. This is despite the fact that Texas starting quarterback Quinn Ewers is one of the many that will be depicted in the game.
EA Sports is taking advantage of college players that so badly want to see their name in a video game. They are offering the players relative chump change while they will make hundreds of millions of dollars selling the game that has been missing from the gaming world for the last few years.
Manning, who has the fifth-highest NIL valuation in college sports, at $2.8 million, according to On3, only has one endorsement for an exclusive trading card with Panini America.
According to Arch's dad, Cooper Manning, there was a contingency in that deal that there would be a charitable auction featuring Arch which raised over $100,000 for the St. David's Foundation, a Texas-based organization that helps provide healthcare to the less fortunate.
The second-year backup has long maintained the position that he was not going to accept deals or participate in the NIL collective until he was the starter, or until "he was the guy".
Manning was the projected starter for 2024 when it looked like Ewers was going to leave for the NFL. With him coming back, Texas head coach Steve Sarkisian announced that there would be no quarterback competition and that it was unquestionably Ewers' job.
"More players can opt-in in a second window in the spring," Fowler said. "So Arch Manning and others who aren't in the game right now could reconsider and opt-in."
Don't count on it. You can't even buy a Manning autographed helmet for $600.00.
More must-reads: