Arch Manning inks NIL deal with major energy drink company

AUSTIN (KXAN) — Texas Longhorns quarterback Arch Manning told ESPN’s Marty Smith that he got “undeserved attention” while being the backup to Quinn Ewers his first two years in Austin, mostly because of his last name.

“I don’t think I’ve done enough yet to be taking pictures at restaurants and signing autographs,” he said, “but maybe that will come eventually.”

Now that he’s officially the Longhorns’ starting quarterback, and his family will allow him to, businesses are lining up to snag Manning for endorsement deals even though he hasn’t taken a snap as the full-time starter. During the interview with Smith, Manning said he signed a Name, Image and Likeness endorsement deal with Red Bull to become one of the first football players, college or professional, to represent the brand.

The deal’s financial terms haven’t been made public, but according to On3 Sports, Manning’s NIL deal portfolio is valued at $6.5 million, the highest among any college athlete.

Manning said even if his family would have let him take NIL money before he was named the starting quarterback, he wouldn’t have felt comfortable doing so because of the reason he mentioned.

“I didn’t want to be the guy rolling in this all this money when we have guys like Jake Majors who had 40 starts here and wasn’t making money,” he said. “I wanted to earn it, work hard, get to know the players and earn my way up.”

Manning previously had a NIL agreement with Panini America, a trading card company, and a special edition card of him sold at auction for $102,500 in July 2023. All the proceeds were given to Central Texas families with the help of St. David’s Healthcare and the St. David’s Foundation. He signed a multi-year deal with the card company during his freshman year as No. 3 on the depth chart behind Ewers and Maalik Murphy.

Red Bull also signed Ohio State sophomore wide receiver Jeremiah Smith to a NIL deal. Manning said he loves the partnership in part because he loves the product.

“I like a Red Bull in the morning, especially when we have some early meetings, just to get a little energy,” he said.

His uncles, Super Bowl-winning quarterback Peyton and Eli Manning, helped make the deal happen, Arch said.

“They got me in line with the right people and Red Bull reached out,” Arch said. “We were fired up and jumped on it.”

The closest Longhorns to Manning in terms of On3’s NIL valuation are sophomores Colin Simmons and Ryan Wingo at $1.5 million. With all the money coming in for college athletes, especially in the Longhorns’ locker room, Manning said the team has done well to not let it replace hard work and dedication to the game.

“We’ve done a good job because everyone wants everyone else to do well and earn as much money as they can while still wanting to win games and keep it about the team as much as we can,” he said. “As long as I don’t let it affect how I’m working and the team at all, I think it’s a good thing.”

Manning’s talent is undeniable. He showed it off against UTSA with a 67-yard touchdown run, putting a juke move on a Roadrunners defender that will be shown for years on the 40 Acres, along with two touchdown passes of 76 and 67 yards. He was 2-0 as the starter filling for Ewers last season, picking up wins over Louisiana Monroe and Mississippi State.

After the performance against UTSA that resulted in nine pass completions for four touchdowns plus the long run, Longhorns head coach Steve Sarkisian wanted to make one thing clear.

“He’s just a normal guy who plays quarterback for the University of Texas,” Sarkisian said. “The name on the back of his jersey is one thing, but who he is as a teammate I think is another. He wants to play really good for the guys around him. If he goes in there, he wants to make sure we keep moving the football because they’re counting on him.”

Whenever he entered a game, fans at DKR-Texas Memorial Stadium would explode in their loudest cheers of the day. Fans clamored for him throughout some of Ewers’ inconsistent performances, but Manning knew he still needed more time. Now, he’s ready.

“I just like being here,” he said. “I like my teammates and my friends outside of football. There wasn’t a reason to leave because I wanted to be here. It wasn’t always easy being the backup, but it has paid off and now I’ll get to play a little more.”