For Arch Manning, there’s not much upside to appearing in EA Sports College Football 25
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Arch Manning’s reported choice to sit out of EA Sports’ new college football video game ruffled some feathers this week.
It’s a somewhat surprising decision on the surface, given that EA Sports has already announced over 10,000 student-athletes have officially opted into the game’s player compensation agreement.
But, for a variety of reasons, it’s a decision that makes sense upon further reflection. There are sensible justifications for Manning to opt-out of the 2024 version of the game, both financial and practical.
Financially, there’s just enough of an incentive for Manning — the nephew of NFL legends Peyton and Eli Manning — to opt into the game. EA Sports offered student-athletes a one-time payment of $600 and a free copy of the game in-exchange for opting in. For most college players, earning $600 for little-to-no work while getting to appear in a video game is more-than worth it.
For Manning, who is already one of the nation’s most-discussed players despite having zero career starts, that benefit just isn’t there.
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It doesn’t help that Manning hasn’t shown much on the field so far in his collegiate career. He was the 3rd-string QB at Texas in 2024 behind Quinn Ewers and Maalik Murphy. He redshirted and attempted passes in just one game — in Texas’ win over Texas Tech back in November. He completed 2-of-5 passes for 30 yards in his debut performance.
Given the former 5-star’s national profile and the anticipation for the new game, it doesn’t take hardly any imagination to picture the unwanted negative attention he could receive by being in the game. The jokes — about his presumably low rating, poor in-game play or transfer prospects — largely write themselves.
And, for what, $600? It doesn’t make enough sense — at least not as long as he’s projected to be a backup.
Now, it’s also true that EA Sports College Football 25 does not need Manning to succeed as a product. The game, which is set to release this summer after more than a decade off the shelves, has been highly-anticipated by fans for years and no single player opting out would have a significant impact on that reality.
It’s also worth noting that Manning has not officially announced whether or not he will appear in the game. Insider Matt Brown, who has been covering the game for years on his Extra Points newsletter, alluded to the idea that a decision may not be final.
Re any specific college athletes "opting out" of video games for this summer….I would simply encourage fans to be skeptical and patient over any reports of an athlete *absolutely* opting out this far before the deadline. More going on behind the scenes…
— Matt Brown (@MattBrownEP) March 5, 2024
Per multiple reports, the deadline for players to opt-in to the game is April 30. With that in mind, there’s still nearly 2 months to go for Manning to reconsider the pros and cons of potentially opting into the game. But, for now at least, opting-in doesn’t make nearly enough sense for Manning.
EA Sports College Football 25 does not yet have an official launch date, but it is expected to release this summer.
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Spenser is a news editor for Saturday Down South and covers college football across all Saturday Football brands.
