Brady stood up for Manning following his rough start as the Texas Longhorns quarterback. The 21-year-old struggled and completed only 17 of 30 passes for 170 yards. His performance sparked a wave of negative reactions. Many NFL experts criticized Manning, who entered as a highly promising No. 1 draft prospect and a potential Heisman contender in 2026. Brady, as a former NFL quarterback, offered a different perspective.
One stumble does not end Manning’s career
According to The Sports Rush, Brady believes Manning’s debut was tough but not a failure. “You know, I think there’s a blessing and a curse in that. The curse is that a lot of people pile on. The blessing is that I don’t think it’s unnecessary to build resilience in a quarterback,” Brady explained.
In a talk with Pro Football Focus, the GOAT stressed that rocky beginnings can actually strengthen young players. “Even though he didn’t have his best game today and they lost, if Arch uses this to his advantage, he will be tougher and have a better next game because of it.”
Every Arch Manning passing attempt vs Ohio State 🎯
What grade would you give his performance in week 1? pic.twitter.com/4yGpm15uoT— FOX College Football (@CFBONFOX) August 31, 2025
Brady also noted the pressure on young athletes: “Unfortunately, these kids now at 19 or 20 years old are forced to be leaders of a college program… And it was probably more the head coach, but since so many people transfer every year, the quarterback has to take on that role.”
Brady insisted that nothing is lost for Manning: “There’s a long season to play. Arch has years ahead in college if he wants, but it will depend on how deep he’s willing to dig inside himself to succeed.”
Brady added: “Nothing shows me that he won’t be a capable quarterback. He proved it in high school and even last year. And he has plenty of good people around him who know exactly what to do.”
