Pro Football Hall of Famer Brett Favre isn’t concerned about Arch Manning’s long-term potential amid the phenom quarterback’s early struggles with Texas this season.
Favre told TMZ Sports he feels Manning is “the real deal” and will be able to “rise to the occasion” as he gains more experience.
Manning entered 2025 under an intense spotlight both because of his last name and the hype for a Longhorns team that was ranked No. 1 in the Associated Press Top 25 preseason poll.
The tide quickly turned against Manning after a disappointing outing in Texas’ season opener against defending national champion Ohio State. He struggled in a brutal assignment on the road, finishing 17-of-30 for 170 yards with one touchdown and one interception in a 14-7 loss.
Manning did have a bounce-back game with 295 passing yards and five touchdowns (one rushing) in a 38-7 win over San Jose State, but the caliber of competition left plenty to be desired.
It’s possible for multiple things to be true at the same time. Manning entering the season as a Heisman favorite before his first full year as a starter because of his name and being the top-ranked recruit in the nation coming out of high school in 2023 was over the top.
But it also wouldn’t be a surprise to see Manning get better as he gets more reps and the Longhorns remain one of the top contenders to win the national title. The 21-year-old only had 95 pass attempts in the previous two years.
Favre has some experience with not wanting to be fully judged right out of the gate. He threw an NFL-high 24 interceptions in his second season with the Green Bay Packers in 1994. Two years later, he won the first of his three straight MVP awards.
Manning and the Longhorns will hope for another good outing on Saturday when they host UTEP at Darrell K Royal–Texas Memorial Stadium.
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