Texas Longhorns quarterback Arch Manning made a monumental announcement this Tuesday, bringing excitement to college football fans and gamers alike.
Manning revealed that he will be featured in EA’s highly anticipated video game, College Football 25, set to release on July 19. This news is particularly special given that Manning had previously chosen to keep his likeness out of the game.
The return of the game, which will feature Manning’s Texas teammate and starting quarterback Quinn Ewers as the cover athlete, marks a significant event in the gaming world. EA Sports had ceased production of their popular college football game series after NCAA Football 14.
This decision came in the wake of a lawsuit filed by Ed O’Bannon against the NCAA, which highlighted the unfairness of student-athletes not receiving compensation while their names, likenesses, and images were being used for profit. The lawsuit played a crucial role in the eventual implementation of NIL (Name, Image, and Likeness) rights for college athletes.
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With the advent of NIL, EA Sports decided to revive the title, offering players $600 and a free copy of the game to appear in it. Initially, Arch Manning had declined the opportunity to be featured, stating he wanted to concentrate solely on his football career—a decision that many found surprising. However, Manning has since had a change of heart.
“I’m IN the game,” he announced on Tuesday. The announcement was accompanied by a commercial in which Manning is shown playing College Football 25 with his uncle, former NFL quarterback Eli Manning, coaching him. “This is the best way to focus on football,” Eli joked in the ad.
As for his upcoming season, Arch Manning is set to continue playing as a backup to Quinn Ewers. Ewers led the Texas Longhorns to their first-ever College Football Playoff and has returned for another season to build on that success. Unless circumstances change drastically, Arch Manning is expected to take over as the starting quarterback in his third year.
The inclusion of Arch Manning in College Football 25 adds another layer of excitement for fans eagerly awaiting the game’s release, and it underscores the evolving landscape of college athletics in the NIL era. As Manning prepares for another season with the Longhorns, his presence in the game will surely draw even more attention to his burgeoning football career.
