Manning reportedly turned down an offer from EA Sports, saying he was focused on playing football on the field.
AUSTIN, Texas — With the highly anticipated release of EA Sports College Football 25 just days away, gamers looking to dominate the virtual Texas Longhorns will have their quarterback of choice.
Longhorns backup quarterback Arch Manning announced Tuesday that his likeness will appear in the latest version of EA’s college football video game after reports he turned down an offer to appear in it.
Arch Manning, the grandson of former New Orleans Saints quarterback Archie Manning and nephew of Super Bowl-winning quarterbacks Peyton Manning and Eli Manning, shared a video of the fake play call with the caption, “I’m in the game.”
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This is the first version released since the game was halted in 2013 after a lawsuit was filed against EA Sports for using players’ likenesses without compensation. The NCAA’s approval in 2021 to allow players to profit from the brand paved the way for the game to be resurrected, according to the Associated Press.
EA Sports offered Division I players a copy of the game with their portrait and a minimum of $600, and some were offered NIL contracts to promote the game through an ambassador program.
Arch Manning is perhaps the most high-profile player to turn down an offer from EA Sports, saying he’s focused on playing football on the field, according to the Associated Press.
Over 11,000 players accepted EA’s offer and joined the game, which features all 134 schools in the Football Bowl Subdivision.
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