- Arch Manning, nephew of Peyton and Eli Manning, is heading to Texas.
- Manning is in line to make a ton of NIL money, but he won’t be walking out of the gate.
- According to a report, Manning’s grandfather said he would not accept cash NIL until he wins the starting job.
In the world of college football, the names don’t get much bigger than Arch Manning.
As the nephew of Eli and Peyton Manning, Arch’s football future has been in intense focus since he was in high school, and his recruiting process was closely watched across the country.
Ultimately, Manning made the decision to go to the University of Texaswhere he will compete for the Longhorns.
Given how famous he already is, and with the huge booster dollars supporting the Longhorns programArch positioned to be one of the highest earning college athletes in the era of Name, Image and Likeness rights.
But according to a report from Sam Khan Jr. at AthleticArch will not receive a penny in ZERO money until he gets the starting position.
“Everyone assumes this was an NIL deal for him to come to the University of Texas. It wasn’t at all,” head coach Steve Sarkisian said while speaking at a Houston Touchdown Club luncheon, according to The Athletic.
According to Sarkisian, Arch’s father, Cooper Manning, brother of Peyton and Eli, texted the head coach a clear message after Arch made his decision, saying, “If there’s a message to tell anyone One of the other recruits who you’re recruiting is Arch Manning is coming to Texas because he loves the University of Texas. He loves the coaches and he loves the program. It’s not about NIL. He’s taken zero money from a NIL perspective.”
It seems that Arch’s grandfather, Archie, is behind the plan. According to Sarkisian, Archie put a clear line in the sand: don’t accept NIL money until you claim the starting position.
For Texas, the news is probably a relief. It’s not hard to imagine some locker room tensions when the 18-year-old still on the bench is making life-changing money before he even steps out on the field. If Archie’s plan is implemented, Arch will not get paid until he is seen as the leader of the Longhorns.
As it is, Arch is not expected to start at Texas as a true freshman, with Quinn Ewers currently at the top of the depth chart. That being said, Arch is a big name and could be in contention for the position at any time.
Eventually, Manning will make a lot of money through NIL deals. There’s no shortage of Texas fans eager to support the Longhorns with their dollars, and with a name as famous as his, Manning won’t have to do much to attract them.
If he can make Texas a true national championship contender, he’ll become a hero in Texas football lore greater than any of his famous uncles accomplished in college.
But Manning will have to wait a while before the NIL money arrives.
