Did you ever realize that gridiron action is not only about scoreboards and races like the quest for the bronze Heisman award? It has got to do a lot about money as well. With the changing dynamics of college football, thanks to NIL, this time it’s Arch Manning who has been a clear showstopper. It’s the Texas Longhorns QB Manning who reaped the sweetest fruits of NIL this season. However, it has been a bumpy ride since the nepotism angle played a dirty role. Yet the latest member of the Manning legacy reeled in some good monetary fortune worth $3.1 million. But even after this, did he manage to find a spot in Steve Sarkisian’s list of favorites? Looks like Manning still has a long way to go. 

Whenever you do something good, the credit goes to the lineage you carry and not to you. How sad, isn’t it? Well, the time has come to break the taboo and explore the real reasons. CFB analyst Adam Breneman started with Manning. After all, the Longhorns QB has shown some significant improvement when it comes to NIL. He takes the fans back to July 2022 when Manning was heading into his senior year of high school. And what gave him the breakthrough? “His five-star ranking along with his last name has made the college decision,” stated Breneman. 

The hype surrounding Manning was so real that people already projected him to be making 3.8 million NIL the very next year. But things didn’t go as planned and his family name couldn’t save him from the blow as in April 2023 his valuation went down to 3.4 million. Later on in July 2023 it took a further dip and went as below as 2.8 million. If you think the dip has to do anything with Manning’s talent, then you are mistaken. Now that the Texas QB is the proud owner of $3.4 million having surpassed Quinn Ewers, the analyst pointed out the reason. 

“Don’t get me wrong. He was great in college football 25 Ads, he’s been great in press conferences but I think the fact that he balled out on the field in every game we’ve seen him is a big factor in the boost in his NIL valuation,” cited Breneman. So it’s as simple as “Play on the field means more money off of it.” Manning might have aced the NIL game, but he is yet to get an entry into Texas HC’s list of favorites.   

Steve Sarkisian snubs Arch Manning amidst his big moment

Sarkisian got caught in a pickle when it came to picking his favorite QB. When a serious abdominal strain injury sidelined Ewers, the HC had no other option than to put Manning into action. However, it was evident that his heart craved for Ewers. No matter how effortlessly Manning filled in Ewers’ shoes with one of the most commendable moves by throwing a 19-yard touchdown pass to DeAndre Moore Jr. on his first snap, Sarkisian is still not sure about the 19-year-old.

Now Ewers has made a return and took the Red River Rivalry game to a notch higher by crushing Oklahoma coming off 20-of-29 for 199 yards along with two touchdowns. With this, the Longhorns HC is now questionable for Manning since he had been brilliant in Ewers’ absence. But Sarkisian seemed to be very sorted about the QB tussle. 

“The rhythm of the game is important, and that’s something I don’t want to disrupt. He’s (Arch Manning) learning,” clarified the HC. Not to worry Arch Manning’s fans. Your favorite QB now has better things to celebrate. He is now the No.4 highest-valued athlete with only Shedeur Sanders, Livvy Dunne, and Travis Hunter ahead of him!