Arch Manning opens up on state of his relationship with grandfather Archie

It’s well known that Arch Manning comes from a family of quarterbacks, beginning with his grandfather, who is his namesake. Archie Manning played for Ole Miss and then later for 14 seasons in the NFL and had a big impact on his grandson’s early development as a player.

So with Arch Manning now preparing to take over in his first full season as the starting QB at Texas, his family is often a topic of discussion. That includes not only his grandfather, but also his uncles Peyton and Eli, who also starred in the NFL and each won two Super Bowls.

Arch attended the Manning Passing Academy, which is hosted by Archie, Peyton, Eli and Cooper Manning, who is Arch’s father, this past week. There he addressed what his relationship with his grandfather is like and the influence it had on his football career growing up.

“We’re really close,” the young QB said. “Like I said, he came over to the house all the time. Went to all my practices in high school. He texts me every single morning no matter what. So he’s just the perfect role model for me. Such a great guy and this camp kind of shows the person he is.”

Arch was the No. 1 overall recruit in the 2023 class according to the On3 Industry Ranking. He spent the first two years of his college career as a backup, making a pair of starts last year in place of an injured Quinn Ewers.

Fans got a glimpse of his potential as he led them to wins in both games, including throwing for over 300 yards and two touchdowns against Mississippi State. Now the spotlight will be fully on him, and he’ll lean on some words of wisdom from his grandfather.

It’s not so much the on-field advice that is the most impactful, with the game having changed so much since Archie retired over four decades ago. Arch noted that his grandfather will tell him to “get down and get out of bounds” when it comes to running, as being a mobile quarterback is one similarity between the pair’s games.

But other than that, it’s the little motivational things or life advice that resonates with Arch the most. Such as a text message that Archie sends all his grandkids every morning that has a bible verse attached with it.

“The game has changed so much,” Arch said. “Guys were in three-point stance at receiver when he played. So the game’s changed. But he’ll still remind me of simple things. Being a leader, being a good teammate, run from drill to drill and just reminds me to be a good guy.”

The expectations are high for Arch Manning entering 2025, partly because of his name and partly because of his high recruiting ranking coming out of high school. The hype surrounding Texas football is at a point that it hasn’t seen in a long time, with national championship aspirations after making back-to-back College Football Playoff appearances.

That’s a lot of pressure for any player, but Arch Manning believes he’s equipped to handle it. After all, he learned from one of the best.

“It was great,” he said of having Archie’s support. “Any time you can have a guy like him in your corner, it’s a true blessing. He’s just been a classy guy through and through. I’m proud that he’s my grandfather.”