Arch Manning is finally getting his shot as QB1 in burnt orange. The blueblood athlete never complained about being in the shadows; he patiently waited two years for his turn. If you don’t call that peak loyalty, you might need to question your football instincts. With Quinn Ewers heading to the NFL, Manning’s time has come. Before he steps into that locker room full of new teammates, Papa Manning is sharing some advice for his son as he navigates the brutal NIL-dominated landscape.

Carrying the torch for football’s royal family—the Mannings—has put Arch Manning in a lifelong race to, at the very least, match his family’s legacy. He’s getting the same sky-high attention as his legendary uncles, Peyton and Eli, and his grandfather, Archie. No matter what the hype brings, the 19-year-old seems well-prepared to handle the “no babying” and the criticism. The best, and most commendable, part is that Arch isn’t letting the comments get to him. Unlike other star kids, he straight-up admitted that he’s privileged to carry the Manning name.

Now, it’s time to keep aside all the theories and shift all your focus to the upcoming Longhorns Starting QB job. Manning got a very slim chance this 2024 season to showcase his gifts. But Manning managed to take the world to storm with his accidental spaz. Since then, fans have not been stopping advocating for Manning at the starting gig. He is ready to ace the show. But Before even hitting the field, Arch Manning scored a major off-field win, landing a huge deal with Red Bull. His NIL valuation? A whopping $6.5 million! Then, during the Super Bowl coverage in New Orleans, Cooper Manning popped up on Fox Sports. And of course, everyone wanted to know about his millions-racking QB son and how he’s doing at Texas.

Dan Patrick asked the legend how NIL has been shaping the future of young athletes, including his son, and how they should deal with it. “I think it depends; everybody’s in a different situation certainly, but I think to play the long game is probably the best way to do it; you don’t want to get caught up in doing these little short-term things,” said Cooper, digging deep into the other side of the NIL allurement.

The effect of introducing money to the kids has been changing the landscape altogether. After knowing they can pull better money elsewhere, concepts like loyalty, patience, effort, and development seem to be distinct. On one hand, it makes the athletes robotically ambitious; on the other hand, it makes them intellectually sound based on finance. ”If you start having some success, it could cannibalize your being able to do something bigger. No, you did a little dinky deal here, and that’s going to hurt you by doing something bigger, so I would say just pick your spots carefully and worry about the craft. The reason you’re there is to get an education and to play football and to make friends and have a great college experience,‘‘ the 50-year-old dished priceless advice to the youngsters.

Now, you know why Manning has been putting up with everything and still didn’t think about decommitment. He is a lifelong Texas fan. So just being there on the field and getting to contribute to the team was enough for him. But with the alarming NFL scouts’ takes and the growing NIL appeal, keeping him on the bench for another year just doesn’t make sense.

However, despite Arch doing his best to take charge, Cooper Manning predicts a bumpy road ahead.

Arch Manning receives a warning ahead of his 2025 role at Texas

It’s not just the yards, touchdowns, and all the others for footwork that put the Manning family at the helm of the business; rather, it’s just how they think, how they envision, and quickly come to a peaceful conclusion. The veteran knows and believes that the most painful journey bears the most outstanding view.

“You don’t want your kiddos to come home and be unhappy, but at the same time, sometimes going through a little hardship and some bumps in the road is good. Arch is going to have plenty more of those. These are the real ones—when you get beat this year and have bad games.”

Papa Manning put his thoughts out loud. Cooper also talked about how the media can build someone up way too fast, only to tear them down just as quickly. He basically told Arch to buckle up because the media won’t hesitate to crown him one minute and then trash him the next if he doesn’t live up to the hype.

Arch Manning had a solid 2024 season, racking up 13 touchdowns in 10 games. He even got to start a couple of games when Ewers was out with a strained oblique. So, what’s next? Well, the NIL money is rolling in, and he’s already being talked about as a potential top NFL prospect and even a Heisman contender. His stock is definitely on the rise. Well, Arch’s having his moment, but the road ahead won’t be easy!