Texas Longhorns QB Arch Manning has made himself public enemy No. 1 after deciding to opt out of EA Sports College Football 2025. As it turns out, the video game giant’s $600 payout and a copy of the game didn’t impress Peyton Manning’s nephew.
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Arch didn’t manage to secure the starting job last season and stepped on the gridiron for Team Orange only two times. He didn’t start those games either, and he accumulated 30 passing yards and 7 more on the ground. Starting QB Quinn Ewers is coming back to Texas next season, so Arch might need to warm the bench for a while.
Arch Manning opts OUT of EA Sports College Football 25, per @AnwarRichardson
He will instead focus on ‘playing football on the field.’
Read more: https://t.co/PnUB1q3xgv pic.twitter.com/dg99HQIezo
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) March 5, 2024
Perhaps this is the reason why Arch decided to focus on ‘playing football on the field’ rather than on a screen. Or, is it because he feels that he has become a far superior brand to be bought with just $600 and a copy of the game worth $70?
Whatever it may be, fans are less than thrilled that their highly anticipated video game will come without a player, who, without a doubt, is one of the biggest names in college football. The comment section is already filled to the brim with memes, coupled with baffled fans remarking how Arch had the ‘dumbest reasoning’ to excuse himself from the game.
Is Arch Manning in the Right to Refuse Collab with EA?
While NFL reporter Anwar Richardson noted that Arch is opting out to focus on the field, analyst and entrepreneur Joe Pompliano speculated that the Longhorns QB had a concealed message behind his initial statement. In a tweet, Pomliao said,
“I think what he meant to say is “my name is worth a lot more than $600 and a free video game”“
I think what he meant to say is “my name is worth a lot more than $600 and a free video game” https://t.co/Y93saSfw9I
— Joe Pompliano (@JoePompliano) March 5, 2024
Pompliano certainly has a point since Arch has already accumulated $2.8 million in NIL money, although he has yet to start a game for the Longhorns. He ranks just under the Colorado Buffaloes’s star QB, Shedeur Sanders, and with a chance at the starting gig, there’s potential for further growth. Notably, he has signed only one NIL deal with Panini, one of the world’s leading licensed collectibles.
It’s worth noting that 10,000 athletes have already opted in and will be featured in the upcoming video game. Moreover, a total of 134 FBS teams will be available for the players to choose from. If you’re a Longhorns fan, fret not, as Quinn Ewers has agreed to opt in.
