Arch Manning is one of the biggest names in college football and has decided to opt out of the much-anticipated return of EA Sports College Football 25. The backup Texas quarterback is the first star player to opt out of the game, and a prominent analyst has had his say on that decision.
ESPN NFL analyst Ryan Clark has tried to explain why Manning decided to opt out and why he would have advised him not to.
Football Analyst Has Bold Claim About Arch Manning and EA Sports College Football 25
Speaking on The Pivot Podcast, Clark spoke about Manning’s decision not to be included in the new EA Sports College Football 25 game.
Clark shared that life is simply different for Manning because of his name. “The difference between Manning and a lot of those other kids is based on what you see, based on how you’ve grown up. It means your goals and dreams are different.”
The game’s release is one of the most anticipated sports games in recent memory, and fans can play as their favorite college team for the first time since 2014. However, those wanting to play using Longhorns QB Manning won’t be able to.
ESPN reported on March 5 that Manning had “opted out of being included in the video game,” as he wanted to “wait until ‘he was the guy’ at Texas.”
Over 10,000 players have already opted into the game. However, the loss of one of football’s biggest names will hurt EA. Despite only having a cameo role in one game in 2023, the potential and the enigma surrounding his surname would have enticed fans into the game.
Clark agreed saying, “They’re gonna want to play with the Texas Longhorns and put Ewers on the bench and Arch Manning in the game because of his last name. Him being in that game is more important to EA than EA being important to Manning.”
The Texas quarterback is the nephew of Peyton and Eli Manning, and the family is one of the most famous in all of sports.
Clark said, “His grandfather Archie is one of the greatest players that ever played for the New Orleans Saints, they just had a bad team around him. Peyton Manning is the first-ballot Hall of Famer. Eli Manning is going to be a Hall of Famer after beating Tom Brady twice in the Super Bowl, and so [Arch’s] dreams are different.”
“His cash flow is also different. Not only based on how he grew up and who he grew up around, but based on the fact of what he can make in NIL.”
As of February 2024, Manning was the second-highest NIL earner in college football ahead of Quinn Ewers, who will be the starting QB in Austin again in 2024.
Despite not being the starter, the attention on Manning has been overwhelming. Clark said, “The picture that stands out to me is at the Sugar Bowl for the college football playoff. Ewers, who is the starting quarterback, is sitting at his little podium to do media, and everybody’s around Arch Manning.”
Manning’s reason for opting out is plausible. The Texas QB knows that he would be one of the most used players in the game, and he doesn’t want to take any credit or limelight away from Ewers. However, Clark would have advised the backup Longhorns QB differently.
“The only thing I would say is, I wonder how he balances his last name with being one of the guys. Quarterbacks always stick out. Quarterbacks are treated differently. Imagine being the quarterback of the Texas Longhorns and having the last name Manning,” Clark went on.
“All I would ever want to do is fit in. All I would ever want to do is work out on the same racks as the running backs and the wide receivers. All I would ever want to do is eat at the same table as those people because immediately on walking in, we all know who you are, and everybody around campus knows.”
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“So the only thing I would think could be if maybe I sit down at the table and we have the conversation, I would tell my son, just maybe, you should be a part of the game so everybody knows that you don’t believe you’re bigger than the other 11,000 or however many players are in the NCAA, especially the ones in your locker room.“
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