Arch Manning is coming back to Austin for another year.
After months of speculation about whether the Texas Longhorns quarterback would declare for the 2026 NFL Draft, the answer is now official-and it came straight from the family. Cooper Manning, Arch’s father, confirmed via text to ESPN that his son will return to Texas for the 2026 season. “Arch is playing football at Texas next year,” he said.
It’s a significant decision for one of the most high-profile quarterbacks in college football. Arch entered the 2025 season with sky-high expectations.
He was seen by many as a Heisman contender and a potential No. 1 overall pick. And while his first year as the Longhorns’ starter was solid, it didn’t quite match the hype that’s followed him since high school.
Let’s be clear-Manning’s 2025 campaign wasn’t bad by any stretch. He completed 61.4% of his passes, threw for just under 3,000 yards, and posted a 24-to-7 touchdown-to-interception ratio.
Those are respectable numbers, especially for a first-year starter in a Power Five conference. But in a college football landscape that’s more competitive than ever, “good” isn’t always enough to vault a player into the Heisman conversation or solidify a top draft slot.
So rather than jump to the pros after one full season under center, Arch is opting for another year of development-and he’s doing it in a system he knows, with a team that’s still knocking on the door of national relevance.
This decision also brings a little full-circle moment to comments made by his grandfather, Archie Manning, over the summer. The former NFL quarterback had hinted that his grandson would return to Texas, a statement that raised eyebrows at the time. Arch himself downplayed the talk back then, but now, Archie’s prediction has turned out to be spot on.
And while the future is now a little clearer, the present still holds one more big moment for Arch and the Longhorns. Texas is set to face No.
18 Michigan in the Cheez-It Citrus Bowl on December 31-a matchup that gives the Longhorns a chance to end their season on a high note. They narrowly missed the cut for the expanded 12-team College Football Playoff, but a win over a respected Big Ten opponent would be a strong way to cap off what’s been a roller-coaster year.
For Manning, this bowl game offers one more opportunity to show growth before heading into what will now be a pivotal 2026 campaign. He’s got the pedigree-his uncles Peyton and Eli both won Super Bowls, and his grandfather was a longtime NFL starter. But more importantly, he’s showing the patience to build his own path, one year at a time.
Texas fans were hoping for a star, and while Arch may not have lit up the stat sheet in Year 1, he’s giving them something just as valuable: continuity, leadership, and another shot at something special next fall.