Well, 2025 has definitely been a sour one for Texas fans, hasn’t it? No one will better understand the trauma inflicted by the team as they nosedived into failure after being heralded as Natty contenders. Arch Manning, the star of the show, has made a big sacrifice to lock in for the 2026 season.

The QB has been at the forefront of the Longhorns’ campaign this year, but failed to meet the mark. Now, he’s trying to pitch in as much as possible for the next season. Per Inside Texas, Manning will take a lesser share of Texas’ House settlement revenue-sharing funds for the 2026 season. It’s not exactly a penance for his downfall this season, but a commitment to have a solid season next year.

“[Sources] tell Inside Texas that this is a move made by Manning as part of an effort to help the Longhorn football program do whatever it takes to support a 2026 championship run,” the publication reported.

However, Manning’s endorsement deals, nor money from any NIL collective, are impacted by this. Despite his hot-and-cold debut as Texas’ QB1, Manning remains the highest-valued CFB player in NIL, at $5.3 million. The 21-year-old still remains No. 1 in On3’s NIL100 rating, the top 100 highest-valued college athletes. He has a number of high-profile partnerships with brands, including giants like Red Bull and Uber. He has surprisingly finished at the top of the NIL100 ratings, retaining his preseason position after a rocky ride.

The House Settlement era is officially in place for the 2025-26 academic year. Schools will be allocated $20.5 million to be spent directly on student athletics as part of a revenue-sharing model. Texas, however, like other SEC schools, has to set aside $2 million from the sum for athletes’ Alston payments, which is a separate ruling. The Longhorns plan to allocate 75% of the remaining funds to football, which amounts to roughly $14 million. It’s an okay sum for the success of the 2026 season, but this is where Manning’s contribution comes into play.

Next year will be his last year of CFB eligibility, following which he will enter the draft. This means that Manning will need all the help he can get to make that campaign a foolproof one. Per Inside Texas, the program can use this to attract talent from the portal, and/or retain talent in Austin. Texas has already lost some promising names, like CJ Baxter, to the portal. Manning’s goal here is to have the best talent possible by his side, as he tries to make up for the disappointment that he has caused. Texas also made some gains in the 2026 recruiting cycle, finishing 10th in the country (per On3).

The class is led by 5-star talent Dia Bell, and also has other elite players like EDGE Richard Wesley and LB Tyler Atkinson. The average NIL value for this unit is $178,000, a slight dip from the $197,000 observed last year. But Texas finishing in the Top 10 is a major win, especially because of the season it had this year. This was partly made possible by Manning’s efforts in the latter half of the season. It’s no surprise, then that he is willing to go even further to guarantee success for next year.

2026 is a challenge that Texas is taking head-on right away. Arch Manning has to be a factor for the program’s is success, which will in turn boost his odds for the draft.

Steve Sarkisian already confirmed Arch Manning’s plans for next season

Arch Manning was expected to be the No. 1 pick in the 2026 draft before the season even began. The short but impactful reel he had until then, and his much-hyped potential for this year, made it seem possible. But after the first half of the season, fans and Manning knew that this was no longer a possibility. He had to use his remaining eligibility to even have a shot at being part of the conversation. But HC Steve Sarkisian was confident that Manning is preparing for something big.

“I would think he’s gonna want another year of that growth to put himself in position for hopefully a long career in the NFL,” Sarkisian told the press before Manning’s plans to return next year were confirmed by his father. “He’s got some unfinished business. For him, I think, the competitor in him is gonna say, ‘Man, I sure would like another crack at trying to do those things.'”

Manning has been a loyal Longhorn ever since he signed that Letter of Intent in 2022. He sat back behind Quinn Ewers last year when he had the opportunity to go. He fought his mistakes brilliantly in the second half of the season and has built a case for himself to lead Texas next year. This bold move from Manning is proof that he is not ending his story yet.

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