Peyton Manning went to Tennessee and spent four years becoming one of the greatest Vols quarterbacks in history. But when Locked On SEC host Chris Gordy asked who he is rooting for when Texas travels to Knoxville on September 26, the former QB did not hesitate.

"I love my university," Peyton told Gordy during the Manning Passing Academy. "But nothing's more important to me than my family, and when you have a nephew playing, you know. I pull very hard for him [Arch Manning] every Saturday, so that’s pretty much a no-brainer.”

Arch Manning starts at quarterback for Texas, and Peyton is his uncle. That bond settled the debate before it even started. Needless to say, Arch was among the quarterbacks in attendance this week at the Manning Passing Academy in Thibodaux, Louisiana.

When reporters asked Peyton Manning where the family group chat stood on the Texas and Tennessee matchup, Peyton made clear the group chat wasn't exactly a war zone over this.

"We don't really touch those topics in our family group chat," Peyton said.

That response tells you a lot about how the Mannings handle these situations. It also reveals that his family tops his list of priorities.

"I try to be his uncle first," Peyton said. "He reached out to me a couple weeks ago. He had a question about a certain type of throw and the footwork. I try to help him if he reaches out to me."

At the camp, Peyton also opened up about the role he plays in Arch's development. He is careful not to overstep but tries to "be there as a resource for him [Arch] if he has a question."

"I'm 10 years out so I try to stay connected to the game and try to keep up with what's going on where I can be a help to him and all these other quarterbacks," he said in the same appearance.

Peyton admits that it's been a decade since he left the game. So rather than acting as a coach, he is happy simply to help the young QBs looking up to him.

Peyton weighed in on how Arch has grown as a quarterback

At the Manning Passing Academy, Peyton was also asked about Arch's development over the last couple of years. The former QB kept his answer simple and grounded.

"Playing is just your best friend," Peyton told the media. "He sat for two years and last year getting to play for the first time, I'm sure he would tell you that what he learned last year was probably night and day compared to what he learned in your first two years."

Peyton also pointed to something he thinks is rare and underrated about Arch's situation.

"He's actually been at the same school for four years," he added. "Not many kids do that anymore. And I think there's something to that. You're getting coached by the same coaches, ideally in the same system, learning the same language, and hopefully developing."

That is Peyton's way of saying the patience paid off. Arch sat, learned, and when his time came, he was ready.

Do you think Arch Manning will have a breakout season at Texas in 2026? Let us know in the comments.

Read more at the Michigan Football Community.

Written by

Farheen Fathima

Edited by

Arundhoti Palit