"You j**ked off to his uncle" - NFL Insider torches Arch Manning hype after Texas QB's shaky start in 2025 season opener against vs. Ohio State

Texas quarterback Arch Manning faced a brutal test in his 2025 season opener, making just his third career start against No. 3 Ohio State on the road. The pressure, the stage and the opponent proved to be difficult for the sophomore, as he struggled to find his rhythm.

While many fans criticized Manning’s play, some came to his defense. Fox Sports analyst Emmanuel Acho, a former NFL linebacker, defended him on X (formerly Twitter).

"For the record… a kid making his *3rd ever start* vs a top 3 team, on the road, to open the season, is allowed to struggle. Let’s not act like Arch can’t play football all of a sudden just for some retweets. #Texas," Acho tweeted.

Emmanuel Acho

@EmmanuelAcho

For the record… a kid making his *3rd ever start* vs a top 3 team, on the road, to open the season, is allowed to struggle. Let’s not act like Arch can’t play football all of a sudden just for some retweets. #Texas

NFL insider Jeff Benedict replied to Acho with a brutal rebuttal. He dismissed the Manning hype.

"He never could play. You all anointed him because you j**ked off to his uncle (Peyton Manning) for 20 years," he quoted the tweet.

JBen

@JBen_80

He never could play. You all anointed him because you jerked off to his uncle for 20 years.

The debate over their quarterback’s future has ignited just one week into the season for top-ranked Texas.

Arch Manning faces widespread criticism following Texas' loss to Ohio State

Arch Manning’s 2025 season opener at No. 3 Ohio State has fueled both criticism and the possibility of improvement about his future.

Manning completed 17 of 30 passes for 170 yards with one touchdown and one interception in a 14-7 loss. Most of his production came late as the Longhorns attempted a comeback. But the Buckeyes’ defense, which coordinator Matt Patricia led, disguised coverages and disrupted the Texas offense.

ESPN’s Paul Finebaum called the performance “terrible” but urged patience.

“He was underwhelming … mostly he was terrible,” Finebaum said on "SportsCenter." “He was a bust in his first game of this season, but I don’t think he will be long term. There is a lot of time to get better, and I believe he will.”

Analyst Booger McFarland pointed out Ohio State’s defensive schemes, noting Manning’s struggles with presnap reads and adjustments. Former NFL linebacker Kyle Van Noy also credited Patricia’s game plan.

Manning took accountability for his performance.

“Ultimately, not good enough,” Manning said. “I’ve got to play better for us to win.”

Texas coach Steve Sarkisian defended his quarterback and reminded critics that it was only the beginning.