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Eli Manning Sends Strong Message About Arch Manning Ahead of Texas' 2025 Season

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Cole Sullivan | Last updated Jul 15, 2025 1:00 PM ET

There hasn’t been this much anticipation in Austin, Texas in quite some time, and a major reason is starting quarterback Arch Manning — a former five-star recruit, the son of Cooper Manning, and the nephew of NFL legends Peyton and Eli Manning.

The Longhorns are coming off back-to-back College Football Playoff semifinal losses, both with Manning serving as the backup to Quinn Ewers, who was drafted by the Miami Dolphins earlier this year.

Now, with the keys to the program officially handed to Arch, expectations are sky-high. On Tuesday, during SEC Media Day, Eli Manning appeared on ESPN’s "Get Up" and shared some words of encouragement for his nephew.

"I'm just proud of Arch," Eli said. "I'm proud of how he’s handled this whole situation... he’s a great kid. He’s dialed in to everything going on. He’s a sponge right now. Every time I see him, he’s asking questions."

Eli added, "I'm excited for him. It’s not an easy task — coming in Week 1, going to Ohio State, the defending champions, and playing in their house — but I think he’s up for the challenge. He’s worked his tail off. I’ve seen it, and I’m excited to watch him this season."

.@EliManning gives encouragement to his nephew and Texas QB Arch Manning:

"I'm just proud of Arch. ... He's just dialed into everything going on. He's a sponge right now. ... He's worked his tail off. I've seen it." pic.twitter.com/1Vgcc0lnl9
— Get Up (@GetUpESPN) July 15, 2025

Arch Manning saw limited action last season when Quinn Ewers briefly went down with an injury. However, nothing he experienced then compares to the challenge he'll face in Week 1.

On Aug 30, the Longhorns will travel to Columbus for a highly anticipated noon ET matchup against defending national champion Ohio State — the same team that eliminated Texas in the College Football Playoff semifinals last season.

That game ended in heartbreaking fashion for the Longhorns, who came up short on a crucial goal-line possession in the second half. With a chance to tie, Ewers fumbled, and Ohio State returned it the length of the field to seal the win.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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