Holly Rowe responds to Arch Manning’s apology for ‘insensitive’ press conference comments
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Holly Rowe is a longtime college football sideline reporter for ABC and ESPN who got wrapped up in a controversial moment this week involving Texas star quarterback Arch Manning.
During his session with reporters on Monday, Manning made a reference to an AI-generated video that went viral that depicted Longhorns head coach Steve Sarkisian slapping Rowe during the emotional moments following Texas’s huge victory over Ohio State on Saturday night.
Manning laughed on Monday when saying to reporters: “I’ve seen a few AI edits of stuff, but that’s about it. I saw an AI edit of (Sarkisian), too … of him slapping Holly Rowe.”
On Tuesday, in a post to his Instagram account, Manning issued an apology to Rowe, calling his comments from Monday “insensitive.”
Rowe saw Manning’s apology from earlier on Tuesday and issued a statement on her social media account that read:
Thank you Arch. I appreciate our conversation about this — which will remain private. Apology accepted. We move forward with respect and kindness for one another.
Manning felt deeply sorry for what Rowe has had to deal with personally because of his comments at the Monday press conference, so his apology on Tuesday was specifically pointed toward Rowe.
“I have a ton of respect for her,” Manning wrote in part in his Instagram apology to Rowe on Tuesday.
Manning added in his apology: “I need to do better and will be more thoughtful going forward.”
Rowe received Manning’s message of apology and wanted to tell him that his apology was heard and accepted.
Cory Nightingale, a former sportswriter and sports editor at the Miami Herald and Palm Beach Post, is a South Florida-based freelance writer who covers Alabama for SaturdayDownSouth.com.
