"He’s a little ahead of them": When Archie Manning placed grandson Arch over NFL icons Peyton and Eli

Former Indianapolis Colts quarterback Peyton Manning is considered one of the greats of the game, having won three Super Bowls and five NFL MVP awards. His younger brother, former New York Giants quarterback Eli Manning, has an equally impressive résumé with two Super Bowl victories over Tom Brady’s dominant Patriots.

Their father, Archie Manning, played as a quarterback from 1971 to 1984. Thus, the Mannings have been one of the most successful families in the NFL. However, Archie Manning, feels that it’s his grandson, Arch Manning Jr., is the best in the family. During a September 2019 interview with IndyStar, Archie praised his grandson,

“He’s probably a little ahead of them as a freshman,” he said.

Peyton played for the University of Tennessee from 1994 to 1997, ending his career as the leading passer with 11,201 yards and 89 touchdowns. His younger brother, Eli, attended the University of Mississippi from 2000 to 2003, finishing with 10,119 yards and 81 touchdowns.

Their elder brother, Cooper Manning, was a highly renowned wide receiver for Ole Miss. Unfortunately, Cooper couldn’t play for long due to a rare spinal condition at 18. But Archie Manning believed Cooper was the best athlete among his three sons. Recalling the unfortunate moment, Archie said,

“(He) kind of got cheated out of that,” Archie said. “Had to have big-time surgery and had to give it up.”

Arch Manning joins Texas Longhorns for a special reason

However, Archie Manning is thrilled to see Arch Manning fulfill the unrealized aspirations of Cooper Manning.

“(Arch is) playing good, he's on a good team, they’re having a lot of success and having a lot of fun, and that’s the way it should be,” Manning said. “That’s the one thing I always told my kids, and I’ll tell Arch the day before a game: ‘Go have fun.’”

Back then, Arch was playing for Isidore Newman, where he broke multiple school records that were previously held by his uncles. He later received offers from Georgia, Bama and Texas, as revealed by Arch’s elder brother, Heid Manning.

“On his visits, he was asking, ‘Is there anywhere I can lay low?’ He loves his privacy, and he loves not being in the spotlight. That was a big part for him.”

Heid further revealed that Arch preferred Texas Longhorns not just because of football but also because of its great education.