University of Texas quarterback Arch Manning is taking center stage, and his legacy shows.
The 19-year-old redshirt freshman made his collegiate starting debut Sept. 21 for No. 1 Texas against Louisiana-Monroe, replacing injured quarterback Quinn Ewers. While his starting debut began on the wrong foot with an interception, Arch Manning finished the game with two touchdowns and 258 passing yards.
The Longhorns won 51-3 and now have a 4-0 record to start the college football season. It’s unclear when Ewers will return and who will start as quarterback for Texas’ next game against Mississippi State.
Arch Manning is the highly-touted nephew of former NFL legends Peyton and Eli Manning and the son of âThe Manning Hourâ host, Cooper Manning. He’s also the grandson of Archie Manning, an Ole Miss legend and former New Orleans Saints quarterback.
His inherited athletic prowess was on full display Sept. 14 when the Longhorns beat the University of Texas at San Antonio Roadrunners, 56-7.
After starting quarterback Ewers hit the sidelines with a strained abdomen, Arch Manning entered in his place and had a 67-yard rushing touchdown. The run marked the longest of any Longhorn quarterback since 2005.
His impressive speed also made headlines. Arch Manning clocked a top speed of 20.7 miles per hour, according to Bleacher Report, citing Reel Analytics and Next Gen Stats.
To put this into perspective, the outlet calculated that Miami Dolphins receiver Tyreek Hill’s top speed of the season has been 20.3 miles per hour.
As Arch Manning begins to make a name for himself in the sport, he joins a family of pros who have already solidified themselves as some of the best.
Here’s what to know about his dad, Cooper Manning.
Cooper Manning hosts âThe Manning Hourâ
Though heâs not out on the field playing the sport, Cooper Manning has brought football insights and amusing interviews to FOX’s âNFL Kickoffâ with âThe Manning Hourâ for 10 years.
âThe Manning Hourâ features roughly two-minute-long segments with a variety of guests, from acclaimed athletes to award-winning actors.
Cooper Manning is his son’s biggest fan
After the Sept. 14 game between Texas and UTSA, Cooper Manning hopped on Instagram to praise his son â and wife â for his showing of athleticism.
âDefinitely got his speed from mom,â Cooper Manning shared, alongside a picture of himself, his son and his wife, Ellen Heidingsfelder.
The couple share three children: May, Arch and Heid Manning.
Cooper Manning’s health kept him from playing football
Cooper Manning was on his way to becoming a football legend himself, when a diagnosis stopped him in his tracks.
He was an all-state wide receiver in high school and gearing up to play for the University of Mississippi when he began to experience numbness in his hands and fingers, according to a 2013 Bleacher Report article.
After testing at the Mayo Clinic, he was diagnosed with spinal stenosis, a narrowing of the spinal canal, at 18, the outlet reported. According to the Mayo Clinic, the condition places pressure on the spinal cord.
The injury ultimately led him to leave the sport.
âWhen they took football away from me, I never took it out on the game. I really never had any bitterness. I just said, this is the hand Iâm dealt and Iâm going to play it. I donât know if I have it down pat yet, but Iâm having fun trying,â Cooper Manning told USA Today in 2008.
Cooper Manning works for AJ Capital Partners
Cooper Manning works as senior managing director for investor relations at Chicago-based AJ Capital Partners.
According to a 2016 news release from the company, Cooper Manning previously worked for Howard Weil in New Orleans and was involved in the sale of the company in 2012.