Who would have thought that one casual comment would bring a wave of hate for Arch Manning? His reaction to an AI-generated video of Steve Sarkisian slapping Holly Rowe after the Texas-Ohio State game will perhaps define the rest of his season. With fans and the media clearly divided over the issue, Jason Whitlock offered support to the young quarterback.

“They destroyed Arch Manning’s personality,” Jason Whitlock said on X. “He wanted nothing to do with that interview.”

Those allegations have been fielded by heaps of fans in the days following the online backlash. Many claimed Manning seemed uninterested or without a personality in the first presser he attended following the controversy. Those comments continued as Manning and Rowe shared the screen for the first time since the whole thing began.

Rowe interviews the quarterback after Texas beat Tennessee this weekend. His answers were short and measured, but he had a smile on his face throughout the short chat.

There is one group of fans who say Manning was not wrong for laughing, as it was an AI video and a joke, and there is another that has called him out for making light of what would have been a big issue had it been real.

Women in sports already face challenges, and the incident added to that conversation. Holly Rowe is a longtime ESPN reporter who has covered college football and basketball for more than 20 years. She has also won a Sports Emmy and received the Curt Gowdy Electronic Media Award.

It seemed more like disrespect, and when his reaction went viral, Arch Manning got strong reactions. NBC Sports college football reporter Nichole Auerbach said, “The laughter from all the men in the room…. so, so gross.”

Then there’s Las Vegas Aces player Brianna Turner, who also said, “Women in sports will never know peace.”

Rowe’s colleague, Chris Fowler, also expressed his support for the veteran journalist.

“There is no one out there more dedicated or committed, no one who works harder in the TV sports business than Holly Rowe,” he said in an Instagram video. “She is a pro’s pro.”

But even though there were divided comments, Manning still owned up to his mistake and apologized.

“I made an insensitive comment about an AI video. There is nothing funny about it. It’s easy to say I didn’t mean it, but I know my words and actions were hurtful to a lot of people. I do not take that lightly and am deeply sorry for that,” Manning posted on Instagram.

The two seem to have buried the hatchet, as seen in the Tennessee interview and after Rowe appreciated the apology from Manning online. However, with this being his final and most crucial season in college football, the young quarterback might be approaching his media presence in a careful manner.