College Football HQ

Texas QB Arch Manning joins forces with leading eyewear brand in NIL deal

Warby Parker signs Longhorns quarterback to three-year partnership, their first in NIL
Michael Ehrlich|
Dec 21, 2024; Austin, Texas, USA; Texas Longhorns quarterback Arch Manning (16) warms up as the Texas Longhorns prepare to play the Clemson Tigers in the first round of the College Football Playoffs at Darrell K Royal Texas Memorial Stadium.
Dec 21, 2024; Austin, Texas, USA; Texas Longhorns quarterback Arch Manning (16) warms up as the Texas Longhorns prepare to play the Clemson Tigers in the first round of the College Football Playoffs at Darrell K Royal Texas Memorial Stadium. | Sara Diggins-USA Today Network via Imagn Images

In this story:

Texas Longhorns

Leading up to his first season opener as No. 1-ranked Texas' starting quarterback, Arch Manning has added a new NIL partnership that will keep his vision clear as he looks to take the college football world by storm.

A glasses wearer since the age of 3, Manning is now eyewear brand Warby Parker's first college athlete partner. The three-year deal - Manning's first in the category - further cements the Longhorn signal caller as the most prolific NIL ambassador in the country.

Over the next three years - whether he is still at Texas or in the NFL by then - Manning's Warby Parker partnership will include new eyewear development and local Austin initiatives with the brand's school-based vision program, Pupils Project.

“As someone who spent their entire life wearing glasses, teaming up with Warby Parker felt like a very natural fit,” Manning said. “They’ve always been my go-to glasses - I have a pair for every part of my life - and their Buy a Pair, Give a Pair program really resonates with me.”

The brand revealed the partnership with a collaboration post on Instagram with Manning and his father, Cooper - both starring in a new commercial - having fun tracking Arch's history wearing glasses on and off the field, his Warby Parker pairs in particular and how it changed his game.

From Red Bull to Vuori to Panini American, Manning - who takes over as Texas QB1 for now-Miami Dolphins quarterback Quinn Ewers - and his team at Excel Sports have been strategic and impactful with his brand portfolio development. The Longhorns star was recently named one of the most marketable college athletes of the Fall, by athlete marketing intelligence platform Out2Win.

Manning kicks off his on-field quest in the highly anticipated week 1 matchup when Texas visits defending National Champion and No. 3-ranked Ohio State on Aug. 30.

Read more from College Football HQ

Jeremiyah Love, Caleb Downs, Cade Klubnik, Bryce Underwood team up in NIL campaign

LSU's Garrett Nussmeier, Arizona State's Sam Leavitt headline new NIL campaign

Auburn QB Jackson Arnold's latest NIL deal reimagines rolling Toomer’s Corner

Ohio State All-American Caleb Downs announces NIL news

Published
Michael Ehrlich
MICHAEL EHRLICH

Michael Ehrlich is a seasoned sports marketing executive with experience across the global sports brand, athlete representation, media and education sides of the business. The Founder and CEO of Playbook Marketing, Ehrlich consults with brands on all things NIL and athlete partnerships, advises student-athletes on their personal brand building endeavors and is an adjunct professor at his alma mater, the University of Southern California where he teaches a course on athlete communications and marketing. As a writer, his previous bylines include Boardroom, Business of College Sports, DIME Magazine and UPROXX, among others. You can follow him across social media at @MichaelEhrlich and reach out via michael@playbook-marketing.com

Home/nil