Eli Manning Shares Latest on Arch Manning: 'You See That Hunger'

Texas Longhorns quarterback Arch Manning is inching closer toward his first full season as a starter.

Texas Longhorns quarterback Arch Manning (16) throws a pass during practice at Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium in Austin Monday, Dec. 16, 2024. | Aaron E. Martinez/American-Statesman / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Texas Longhorns quarterback Arch Manning is leaning on his Super Bowl-winning uncle Eli Manning as he prepares for his first full season as a starter.

During a recent media appearance to promote the upcoming Madden 26 video game, Eli Manning shared the latest on what he's seen from Arch, praising his star-studded nephew for asking him "great questions."

Manning also briefly mentioned the challenge that the season opener against the defending champion Ohio State Buckeyes will pose.

"I think Arch has done a great job on just how he's handled these first two years of his college career," Manning said, per CBS Sports. " ... He's earned the respect of his teammates, his coaches, through his hard work, his dedication and excited to watch him this year. ... You see that hunger with him. He wants to get better, he wants to learn, he wants to ask. He asks me great questions, so excited to be there as part of his journey."

The official Arch Manning era for Texas will begin Aug. 30 in Columbus. Getting a win will be anything but simple for the Longhorns, something a two-time Super Bowl champ understands.

"It's not going to be an easy task, you open up your kind of your college career at Ohio State, defending champs on the road, but it'll be exciting and just happy for him, because I know how hard he's worked," Eli Manning said.

It's unclear as of now if Manning will choose to declare for the 2026 NFL Draft but Texas head coach Steve Sarkisian has been transparent about the topic.

“Here’s what I hope. I hope (Manning's) got a really hard decision to make on about January 21," Sarkisian said at the Houston Touchdown Club in April. "That means we played for a long time. That means he probably had a really good season. And that means he’s probably trying to figure out do I want one more year in the burnt orange or is it time to go to the NFL? I hope it’s a really, really hard decision. I hope it’s not a no-brainer for him to come back to school.”

Last season, Manning played in 10 games with two starts against Louisiana Monroe and Mississippi State. He went 61 of 90 passing for 939 yards, nine touchdowns and two interceptions along with 25 carries for 108 yards and four more scores.