Arch Manning, Texas Longhorns football
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(Photo by Kenneth Richmond/Getty Images)
The sweepstakes for Texas Longhorns quarterback Arch Manning is already up and running, and the 2026 season hasn’t even begun. Free agency, however, may have already played a major role in how certain teams position themselves for it.
Most of the quarterback-needy teams entering free agency have now landed their starter for 2026. And with the 2026 NFL Draft offering little in terms of top-end quarterback talent, several franchises are already looking ahead toward the 2027 class.
One of the teams that is almost always quarterback hunting is the New York Jets. For 2026, their plan — at least for now — is to roll with Geno Smith, whom they acquired in a trade with the Las Vegas Raiders for a sixth-round pick.
Smith is a veteran who has proven capable of leading an offense, but the move could also signal something else. The Jets might be buying time.
Whether that time is meant to position themselves for Manning remains to be seen.
Veteran New York radio host Mike Francesa, however, believes the idea of the Jets landing Manning is dead on arrival.
Mike Francesa Says Manning Family Would Never Allow Arch Manning to Play for Jets
The longtime radio host took to his podcast and told Jets fans bluntly that if they’re hoping the team will tank for Manning, they may want to think again.
“I’ll tell you this, Jet fans. I hate to give you this a year in advance, and it will probably make you hate the Mannings more if you’re a Jet fan and you hate the Mannings already, because remember, Peyton didn’t want to play for the Jets. They will not let Arch Manning play for the Jets,” Francesa said. “I’m telling you right now, they will manipulate the draft, they will never let him get drafted by the Jets. You can take that to the bank.
“I’m telling you right now, a year in advance, I don’t know where he’s gonna wind up next year, he’s gonna be the first player picked unless something drastic happens. But he’s not gonna go to the Jets. The Jets aren’t gonna wind up with Arch Manning, it’s not gonna happen. It’s not going to happen under any circumstances; that family will not allow it. I’m telling you, they will not allow it.”
The Jets, of course, have spent decades trying to find a franchise quarterback. Numerous first-round picks have come and gone without solving the position, and even the arrival of Aaron Rodgers ultimately failed to stabilize it long term.
Francesa’s point, though, centers more around the Manning family’s history of controlling where their quarterbacks land.
Manning Family Has History of Steering QB Destinations
The Manning family has never been shy about influencing the path of its quarterbacks when it comes to the NFL draft.
In 2004, Eli Manning famously refused to play for the San Diego Chargers after they selected him with the No. 1 overall pick. The standoff led to a draft-day trade that sent Manning to the New York Giants, where he went on to win two Super Bowls.
A similar situation nearly unfolded years earlier with Peyton Manning. Prior to the 1997 NFL Draft, the New York Jets held the No. 1 pick and were widely expected to select the Tennessee quarterback. Peyton instead chose to return to school for his senior season. Members of the Manning family later suggested part of that decision stemmed from uncertainty surrounding the Jets’ direction under head coach Bill Parcells, who reportedly would not guarantee Manning would be selected with the top pick.
Manning ultimately entered the 1998 NFL Draft and was selected No. 1 overall by the Indianapolis Colts.
That history is why many believe the Mannings will once again be heavily involved when Arch Manning eventually enters the draft.
Arch, meanwhile, still has time before that decision even arrives. He is entering his fourth year at Texas and, because of eligibility remaining, could technically stay in Austin through the 2027 season if he chooses.