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Tim Tebow Reveals What He Loves About Arch Manning Amid Comparisons

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Jaron Spor | Last updated Aug 30, 2025 10:48 AM ET

SEC Network analyst Tim Tebow is back in the spotlight, thanks to his colleague Paul Finebaum. This news comes ahead of the highly anticipated game between the No. 1-ranked Texas Longhorns and the No. 3-ranked Ohio State Buckeyes. Arch Manning, the grandson of Archie Manning and the nephew of Peyton and Eli Manning, is set to make his season debut in this matchup.

Before the game, the "SEC Nation" crew, including Finebaum and Tebow, discussed Manning. Finebaum compared Manning to Tebow, stating, "He’s the best player we've seen from every aspect since Tim Tebow."

Tebow remarked that although there is much excitement surrounding Manning's inaugural season as the starting quarterback, what he appreciates most about Manning is that he puts the team first.

"He's had a lot of hype," Tebow said. "He's had it his whole life. What I love about Arch is that people praise him for so long, but he has praised his teammates. His humility and willingness to handle the pressure in a humble way, where it hasn't been about him. It's been about the team. I think it's an incredible job of parenting."

Tim Tebow’s Legacy Raises the Bar for Arch Manning

Comparing any player to Tebow is a high compliment, especially for someone with limited experience like Manning. During his four seasons as the quarterback for the Florida Gators, Tebow threw for 9,285 yards, 88 touchdowns and 16 interceptions.

In addition, he accumulated 2,947 rushing yards and scored 57 rushing touchdowns. His impressive performance helped the Gators secure two national championships, and he also won the Heisman Trophy.

As for Manning, he's making just his third start on Saturday. He's thrown for 969 yards and nine touchdowns in his career. He's mostly served as the backup for Quinn Ewers the last two years.

Inexperience has caused people like Jordan Rodgers, a colleague of Tebow and Finebaum on "SEC Nation," to temper the Manning hype.

"The hype doesn’t match the tape," Rodgers previously said. "There are good things, but the tape doesn’t scream first-round draft pick, top-10 pick, No. 1 overall or Heisman hopeful."

Texas Longhorns Have National Championship Aspirations in 2025

One way for Manning to get closer to Tebow's legacy and prove Rodgers wrong is by leading his team to a national championship. The Longhorns haven't won a championship since the 2005 season, but they are the favorites to win this year. Additionally, Manning is favored to win the Heisman Trophy, which would be the first for Texas since 1998, when Ricky Williams took home the award.

His pursuit to fulfill the Tebow comparisons made by Finebaum begins on Saturday at noon ET on Fox, against Ohio State in Columbus.

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

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