Arch Manning has now understood the consequences that come with trying to be the face of a program. There are some things that are simply unacceptable to say in public when you are a nationally beloved athlete. After the debacle that followed his comments around an AI video, the Longhorns QB is now saying that he has seen the error of his ways.
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It took less than 48 hours, since the X post of his interview went viral, for Manning to officially post his response of regret on his Instagram Story.
“In my press conference yesterday, 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. “I specifically want to apologize to Holly Rowe for what she has personally had to deal with because of my comments. I have a ton of respect for her and appreciate her showing me grace in this moment. I need to do better and will be more thoughtful going forward.”
The moment came full circle when Rowe herself later confirmed that they had spoken privately. She tagged @archmanning and attached his apology underneath along with her own thoughts on the matter.
“Thank you Arch. I appreciate our conversation about this- which will remain private,” she shared a screenshot of her response on her Instagram Story and also posted it on X. “Apology accepted. We move forward with respect and kindness for one another.”
The clip Manning referenced grew out of Saturday’s postgame scene. After Texas beat Ohio State 24-23, Steve Sarkisian cut off Rowe’s sideline interview after a few seconds. He shouted “Texas fight! Hook ’em” and walked away.
Someone then turned that awkward interview into an AI-generated video that showed Sarkisian slapping Rowe. Manning did not make the original snub or the AI video. Still, calling the fake violence “hilarious” became the center of the criticism against him.
The moment turned national after an X user called Vieth posted it. The profile actually belongs to an Inside Texas beat reporter who had asked the question, recorded the clip, and captioned it “gold.” The post reached millions of views. Vieth later apologized and said he will be more careful about what he puts online.
“Yesterday, I published a tweet of Arch Manning responding to a question of mine, where he mentioned seeing an AI video of Steve Sarkisian slapping Holly Rowe,” he wrote. “I captioned his response as “gold.” I realized quickly that I had made a mistake and was far too hasty in publishing the video without further context and with an inappropriate caption. For that, I am deeply sorry.”
Rowe is a respected journalist who has been in the industry for over 30 years. She made history in 2021 by becoming the first female color commentator for the Utah Jazz NBA broadcasts.
On a personal front, she has also shared her battle with cancer and even a tragic family loss. All of this made the story much larger than just a press-conference joke.
Former ESPN anchor Cindy Brunson wrote, “If you have found any of the mocking Holly has endured online since the Longhorns game funny, shame on you.”
Criticism was not limited to just Arch’s comments. “You do the damn interview. You are a grown a– man … You are the head coach of the damn school. Do the interview,” Stephen A. Smith said about Sark leaving Rowe hanging after the game.
Coach-reporter clashes are not something new. The closest example of such an incident is Lane Kiffin walking away from Jamie Erdahl in October 2021. Kiffin later apologized, saying he “got caught up in emotions” and admitting “it looked rude, which it did.”
This episode from Austin moved quickly from an awkward postgame interview to a wider conversation about AI-edited content and the impact of offhand remarks. While Sarkisian, Manning and Vieth each played different roles in how the story unfolded, it looks like Manning’s apology and Rowe’s response brought the public exchange to a respectful close.