Arch Manning Addresses ‘Nepo Baby’ Label and Bronny James Comparisons

Arch Manning, the highly-touted Texas Longhorns quarterback and nephew of NFL greats Peyton and Eli Manning, is well aware of the "nepo baby" label thrown his way. But rather than taking offense, he embraces the conversation.

"Yeah, I mean, that's fair," Manning said in a recent appearance on Complex’s "I Got Time Today" segment with On3 . Responding to a comment calling him a "nepo baby," he added, "I do have a lot of football in my family, so it's a fair comment. Freedom of speech."

The comparisons to Bronny James , son of NBA superstar LeBron James, also came up.

"I don't know Bronny; DM’d him once," Manning said. "Seems like a great guy, so maybe that’s a compliment."

The comparison likely stems from the perception that both athletes have benefited from their famous last names. Bronny James, now with the Los Angeles Lakers, has faced similar scrutiny over whether he was drafted on merit or because of his father’s influence. Likewise, critics have speculated that Manning’s position at Texas is more about his legendary football lineage than his individual talent.

However, Manning’s performance on the field speaks for itself. After backing up Quinn Ewers for two seasons, he proved his worth when called upon this past season. In three starts while Ewers recovered from an abdominal injury, Manning threw for 806 yards, eight touchdowns, and two interceptions , while also rushing for 82 yards and two additional scores .

Manning has admitted that his last name has put a spotlight on him from an early age. Speaking with ESPN’s Marty Smith last week, he acknowledged that he’s received “a lot of undeserved attention.”

"But hopefully it gets more deserving in the next few months," he said. "I don’t think I’ve done enough yet to be taking a lot of pictures at restaurants and signing autographs. But maybe that will come eventually."

Regardless of the chatter, Arch Manning continues to prove that he’s more than just a famous name—he’s a quarterback ready to carve out his own legacy.