Eli Manning advises Arch Manning to be careful with the media: ‘They can take it and run’

After Arch Manning sparked controversy earlier this month, Eli Manning warned his nephew to be careful when talking to the media.

The University of Texas quarterback led an impressive comeback win over Ohio State last week, but Manning’s laughter during a press conference at an AI-generated video of head coach Steve Sarkisian slapping ESPN reporter Holly Rowe quickly overshadowed it. The AI video was one of several created and shared on social media after Sarkisian snubbed Rowe during an on-field postgame interview after ESPN’s technical issues kept him waiting at halftime.

Manning has already apologized for laughing at the AI video, and Rowe has publicly accepted the apology, noting they also had a private call. But Eli Manning was recently asked about the controversy during an interview with Front Office Sports. While the two-time Super Bowl-winning quarterback said he didn’t reach out to the younger Manning after the controversy, he advised his nephew to be careful.

“You feel like [the media’s] your pal, you relax with them a little bit, you try to be funny, and then they can take it and run.”

Eli Manning spoke with FOS on the Arch Manning-Holly Rowe situation and his advice to Arch.

Full conversation: https://t.co/pHv3iB5WTI pic.twitter.com/EQ2PXA7yQC

— Front Office Sports (@FOS) September 22, 2026

“Most of my advice, more football stuff,” Manning told Front Office Sports. “He’ll have to figure out that media on his own, and a lot of it is just kind of growing pains. You feel like they’re your pal, you relax with them a little bit, you try to be funny, and then they can take it and run.

“So you just gotta be careful. You gotta find your moments where you can be funny, you can be relaxed, but there’s certain things that you know you just gotta learn and deal with it. And I think he has learned, and he apologized and did the right steps in handling that.”

While the advice of being careful with the media is fair, there is also something to be said for knowing better than to laugh at a video depicting a woman being slapped. Even if you’re laughing at the absurdity of AI making these videos so easy to create, you would still hope Manning realizes the content wasn’t “hilarious.” This particular controversy was Manning’s fault more than it was the media taking something and running with it.

Peyton and Eli Manning both had their own missteps in college. Eli Manning was arrested for public drunkenness as a freshman at Ole Miss in 2000. Peyton Manning had a mooning incident with a woman trainer in 1996 while at the University of Tennessee. Both quarterbacks went on to be media darlings during their media careers. Arch Manning’s recent misstep similarly won’t preclude him from being able to handle the media spotlight well.