"Why is Arch Manning at the Padres game?": Fans baffled by Texas QB's surprise visit for MLB blockbuster

With the hype surrounding Arch Manning as the Texas Longhorns's new starting quarterback, he took a break from football by attending a baseball game.

Manning appeared at the San Diego Padres vs. Seattle Mariners matchup on Saturday, catching fans's attention.

"Why is Arch Manning at the Padres game?” a fan asked.

“Wtf 😭😭,” a fan wrote.

“The coolest Manning of them all,” another fan said.

But Arch Manning’s visit to San Diego stirred up more than just surprise. Longtime NFL fans remembered a bit of history — Arch’s uncle, Eli Manning, famously refused to play for the San Diego Chargers when they drafted him first overall in 2004. He was traded to the New York Giants shortly after, a decision that still stings for some fans.

“Apparently he forgot the Manning's don't like San Diego,” a fan commented.

“His Uncle shunned the city, permanently 😂,” another chimed in.

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Arch Manning requested to play basketball from Sean Miller

Arch Manning is also spending the spring playing basketball. The Texas Longhorns quarterback asked new men’s basketball coach Sean Miller if he could join in on the court from time to time.

Miller shared the story during a conversation with insider Jeff Goodman on Wednesday.

"So I was walking across the street last week, or maybe a week and a half ago, and somebody yelled my name, 'Coach Miller, Coach Miller,' I turn around and it was Arch Manning," Miller said. "He's a huge basketball fan, and we came together, he said, you know, 'Welcome to Texas and I'm a big basketball fan.'"

"He's with a couple of his friends. and he had one question for me. He said, 'Hey, do you mind if once in a while we sneak in and play pickup? "Anytime," Miller said he told Manning. "Whatever you do, don't get hurt."

While basketball may be a fun break, Arch Manning is also hard at work on the gridiron. In April, coach Steve Sarkisian gave him positive reports from spring practice.

“One of the things I see right now is, naturally, he's leading a group of younger players, especially at the skills spots at the wideout spot. His confidence really helps them,” Sarkisian said. “His understanding, his ability to connect to those guys in between series, has been very helpful.

Manning’s much-anticipated debut as Texas’s starting quarterback will come on Aug. 30, when the Longhorns face the defending national champion Ohio State Buckeyes to start the 2025 season.