Arch Manning wasn’t on the field Sunday, with the 2025 college football season still weeks away, but his name still found its way into the conversation. That’s because Quinn Ewers, the former Texas Longhorns quarterback who beat Manning for the starting job in consecutive seasons, took the field for the Miami Dolphins against the Chicago Bears — and the results weren’t great.

Ewers completed just 5 of 18 passes for 91 yards, was sacked twice, and fumbled twice. His outing drew plenty of attention, and reviews of his performance were far from positive.

Fans Link Ewers’ Struggles To Arch Manning’s Potential

Arch Manning is slated to be Texas’ new QB1.

On social media, many fans quickly tied Ewers’ showing to what it might mean for Manning’s upcoming season as Texas’ starting quarterback. Some questioned how good Manning could be if he had been unable to unseat Ewers over the last two years.

“Just a reminder that Arch Manning couldn’t beat out this guy Quinn Ewers in 2 full seasons,” one fan wrote. Another commented, “Arch Manning? The guy who couldn’t beat out Quinn Ewers?” Others chimed in with takes like, “Arch couldn’t unseat him tho 😤,” and even jokes from Dolphins fans about Ewers’ future role, with one saying, “What we learned today is we have our tank commander for Arch Manning in 2026. Once we clean house and cut the tickle, we already have our guy on the roster to lead us into the future.”

Ewers’ College Career Paints A More Complicated Picture

It’s worth remembering that Ewers was far from a failure in college. He helped Texas reach the College Football Playoff semifinals last year and proved himself capable on big stages. Meanwhile, Manning was a true freshman in 2023 and then a redshirt freshman in 2024, so his chances to start were limited by experience and development time.

Given that, it’s entirely possible Manning is now a different player than he was when Ewers won the QB1 battle. Still, Ewers’ tough NFL preseason performance was enough to spark speculation and doubts from fans, turning an otherwise routine exhibition game into a talking point for Texas football’s immediate future.

Looking Ahead To The 2025 Season

With kickoff approaching, Manning will have his opportunity to prove the doubters wrong. Texas fans will be watching closely to see if his growth and readiness match the lofty expectations attached to his name. For now, though, Sunday’s struggles from his former teammate have cast a shadow that he may need to address on the field this fall.