Eli Manning's parents Archie and Olivia open up about being concerned for Arch Manning amid 'protection problems'

Arch Manning’s grandparents, Archie and Olivia, have opened up on how supporting his career is different from their sons, Eli and Peyton. The Manning family is one of the most iconic families in football, with a legacy going back three generations.

The patriarch, Archie, played 14 seasons in the NFL before watching his two sons, Eli and Peyton, dominate the league decades later. With his two sons retired from their respective playing careers, the 76-year-old patriarch has an heir in his grandson to carry on the family legacy.

Archie and his wife, Olivia, were guests on the Up and Adams show on Thursday, discussing, among other things, how they feel watching their grandson. Olivia said:

“I think I’m more nervous for my grandson than I ever was for my boys or my husband.”

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Archie added:

“I don’t know why it should be. It really should be no different to me. And I mean, I dealt with when the boys played. I was a little superstitious at times, especially like when Eli played… I hadn’t been doing that with Arch, really. I haven’t been to but one game, so I’m home, and it’s hard. I mean, it’s really hard.”

The legendary quarterback and Ole Miss alum noted his grandson’s struggles but commended how he’s handling it. He said:

“They’ve had some protection problems this year and struggled in a few games. And so we get to it. We’re proud of him, and he’s handled everything really well.”

Arch Manning’s 2025 season so far

With the weight of the legacy he carries on his shoulders, Arch Manning is unsurprisingly the most scrutinized player this season in college. The 21-year-old quarterback was handed Texas’ starting job this season after waiting his turn behind Quinn Ewers for two seasons.

The redshirt sophomore was projected to win the Heisman Trophy this season by several analysts, including SEC Network’s Paul Finebaum. However, his stock suffered a significant setback after he struggled in the opening game at Ohio State.

He has since worked his way back up with stellar performances against ranked opponents, including Oklahoma and Vanderbilt. After weeks of going unranked on CBS Sports’ Top 50 Quarterback Power Rankings, Arch Manning is back on the latest edition of the rankings.

After nine games this season, Manning has thrown for 2,123 yards, 18 touchdowns, and six interceptions. The dual-threat quarterback has also rushed for 203 yards and six scores.

Edited by Kayode Akinwumi