A lot of Vols fans completely missed what Peyton Manning was really saying about Arch Manning and the Texas vs Tennessee game
The Tennessee Vols and the Texas Longhorns will play in Neyland Stadium on September 26. Peyton Manning’s nephew, Arch Manning, is the starting quarterback for the Longhorns.
Tennessee football legend Peyton Manning ruffled some feathers in Big Orange country this past summer when he suggested that he’d be rooting for Texas to beat the Vols.
Peyton’s nephew, Arch Manning, is the Longhorns’ starting quarterback.
While Peyton made it clear that he’ll be rooting for Arch when Texas and Tennessee meet this upcoming Saturday in Neyland Stadium, I think there are a lot of fans who are still misinterpreting his comments.
Here’s exactly what Peyton said at the Manning Passing Academy in June.
“One of the kids was asking me earlier who I was going to go for,” said Peyton. “And I said, ‘Well, who do you think?’ And he said that he would go for his school over his relative. And I went, ‘Well, you and I are different. You and I are wired differently.’ Nothing’s more important than your family.
“But obviously, it’s going to be a huge SEC game. My dad dealt with it when I was in college — when Tennessee played Ole Miss. Look, I love my university, my alma mater, and I pull for them unconditionally. But nothing’s more important to me than my family. And when you have a nephew playing — I pull very hard for him every single Saturday. So that’s pretty much a no-brainer that you’re pulling for your nephew to play well. But, like I said, everybody knows pretty strongly where my loyalties lie on all other Saturdays — with the University of Tennessee.”
Peyton never really said a thing there about pulling for Texas to beat Tennessee. All he said is that he’s pulling for Arch to play well.
There are some fans, however, who are making it out like Peyton is going to show up at Neyland Stadium on top of a steer all decked out in Texas gear (I’m sure there will be an AI-generated image of that floating around by the end of the week).
But that’s not the situation.
Look, this is a weird spot for Peyton. Family is absolutely the most important thing. There’s nothing wrong with Peyton’s ultimate loyalty lying with Arch on that day. It’s no different than when Archie Manning, an Ole Miss legend, had to sit in the stands when Peyton played the Rebels in 1996 and 1997. Those games were tough on Peyton’s family. It wasn’t something they looked forward to. But they were there as Peyton fans.
Peyton Manning loves Tennessee as much as anyone
I don’t know how anyone can question Peyton’s love for Tennessee. He consistently donates money and time to the program, often returning to speak to students in various programs at the school.
But Arch is his blood. Before Peyton was setting records at Tennessee, he was Cooper Manning’s younger brother. Cooper, Arch’s dad, is Peyton’s guy. Nothing is coming between that bond, and that bond extends to Arch.
Even Archie, by the way, pointed out this week how much Peyton loves Tennessee, while also noting that family is family.
“Nobody loves his school like Peyton does,” said Archie Manning this week to the Knoxville News Sentinel. “But if you have to pick a winner, you go with family.”
But here’s the thing about “picking a winner”: Peyton doesn’t have to pick anyone to win this game. He doesn’t have to root for an outcome. He can simply root for Arch and accept that the outcome will be what it will be.
A lot of fans understand Peyton’s predicament this week. But there are also a lot who don’t. And the ones who don’t are the loud ones.
Those “loud ones” need to understand the human element of this. Getting mad at someone because they’re being loyal to their family is absurd. Maybe have some grace for Peyton and let him enjoy what should be a fun afternoon for his family, accept the outcome, and move on to next week.
After all, Peyton is still going to be there in November hoping as much as anyone that Tennessee is in a position to finish the season strong and make the College Football Playoff.
