Manning’s third generation of quarterbacks got their first starts Saturday, not only in Austin, where Arch quarterbacked for Texas, but also in New Jersey.
“Arch isn’t the only Manning making his first start today,” proud father Eli wrote on social media alongside a clip of his 6-year-old son Charlie playing flag football.
The former New York Giants signal-caller still lives in New Jersey, where Saturday’s clip was likely filmed. The footage shows Charlie throwing the ball to a wide-open teammate after some encouragement from outside.
“It’s open,” a man’s voice says. “Throw it to him, Charlie.”
The son of Eli’s older brother Cooper, Arch replaced injured Longhorns starter Quinn Ewers on Saturday against unranked University of Louisiana Monroe. And after refereeing for top-ranked Texas last week, Arch had an inconsistent outing against the Warhawks.
Texas Longhorns’ Arch Manning greets fans on their way into the stadium on Saturday
Charlie Manning (No. 61) completed a pass in his first start, as seen in Eli’s footage
Arch Manning reacts after a rushing touchdown in the first quarter against UL Monroe
Manning threw the first two interceptions of his college career, but made up for those mistakes with two touchdown passes and a stunning 56-yard strike to Longhorns star receiver Isaiah Bond.
The 6-foot-3 Arch is the nephew of Super Bowl winners Eli and Peyton, and the grandson of former New Orleans Saints signal-caller Archie. Arch’s father, Cooper, is the eldest of Archie’s sons and once looked like a future NFL player himself before being diagnosed with spinal stenosis at Ole Miss, Archie’s (and later Eli’s) alma mater.
But the young Arch turned down the Rebels — and Georgia, Alabama, LSU, Clemson and Virginia, for that matter — in favor of the Longhorns, where he is seen as coach Steve Sarkisian’s top signing in Austin.
Arch is the son of (left to right) Cooper, nephew of Eli and Peyton, and grandson of Archie
The 19-year-old followed in his father and uncles’ footsteps by attending Isidore Newman School in New Orleans, where the third-generation football star impressed almost everyone by starting four years with the local powerhouse.
“As a freshman, he probably has a little bit of an edge over them,” Archie Manning told the Indy Star in 2019, when asked to compare the young Arch to his uncles.
Despite his status as a top recruit, it wasn’t until last week that Arch spent more time on the field. With Ewers nursing a strained oblique muscle, Manning threw for 223 yards and scored five touchdowns in a 56-7 win over the University of Texas San Antonio.
He also had a 67-yard touchdown run, showcasing Archie’s trademark athleticism, surpassing the generation of Eli and Peyton.
