Texas Longhorns quarterback Arch Manning comes from a long line of college football greats. His grandfather, Archie, was the star quarterback at Ole Miss, as was his uncle Eli, while his other uncle, Peyton, was a star at Tennessee.
As Arch continues on his own college football journey, Eli and his grandmother, Olivia, recently spoke about how the family handles him being the quarterback at Texas.
How Does the Manning Family Feel About Arch Playing at Texas?
Being the starting quarterback for the Longhorns is one of the most high-profile roles in college football. 2025 is Manning’s first year as the team’s starter, and all eyes have been on him throughout the season.
Having a family member in the spotlight can be stressful, and Olivia explained on the “Up and Adams Show” that she gets more nervous watching Arch than she ever did watching her sons, Eli and Peyton, or her husband Archie.
“I think I’m more nervous for my grandson than I ever was for my boys… or my husband.” 🤣
— The Mannings on what it’s like to watch Arch play@EliManning | @ArchManning | @heykayadams pic.twitter.com/3A46ShComo
— Up & Adams (@UpAndAdamsShow) November 6, 2025
“I think I’m more nervous for my grandson than I ever was for my boys,” Olivia Manning said. “Or my husband.”
It’s understandable why she’s so nervous watching Arch play for the Longhorns, as he faces some of the highest expectations and pressure of any Manning, due to the accomplishments of his uncles and grandfather.
Eli also spoke about how the Manning family handles Arch’s college career. The former Super Bowl champion explained that the family has a big group chat where they all root for Arch, and that the entire family gets together on Saturdays to watch Ole Miss and Texas play.
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“We have a great family chat with all the brothers, all my nephews, and nieces,” Eli said. “So, it’s fun, man. We’re all pulling for Arch, so this is a fun time that we kind of gather on Saturdays now, and we watch Ole Miss, we watch Texas. I got my son Charlie dialed in; he’s got his full Texas gear on. So we’re definitely rooting for him hard.”
While Arch has had his fair share of ups and downs this season, ranking 43rd among college quarterbacks in PFSN’s CFB QBi metric, he’s played well enough to lead Texas to a 7-2 start and put them in strong contention for the College Football Playoff.
He’s faced a lot of adversity this season, and knowing that his entire family is rooting for him every weekend undoubtedly helps him stay mentally composed from week to week. Few college players have a family they can rely on and empathize with, but it appears Arch has just that.
