Arch Manning Criticized for Laughing at Video of Holly Rowe Getting Slapped

University of Texas quarterback Arch Manning found himself in hot water after joking about an awkward interaction between his head coach, Steve Sarkisian, and ESPN reporter Holly Rowe.

Following Texas' dramatic comeback win over Ohio State on Saturday, September 13, Sarkisian, 52, appeared to blow off a postgame interview with Rowe, 60, to go celebrate with his team. The clip instantly went viral, with an AI-generated version of Sarkisian slapping Rowe gaining traction on social media.

"I've seen a few AI edits, that's about it. I saw an AI edit of Sark's interview," Manning, 22, said during a press conference on Monday, September 14. "Y'all seen that one? That's a good one. Of him slapping Holly Rowe. It's hilarious."

The comment drew a hearty amount of laughter from the reporters assembled in the room but quickly received backlash on social media.

"A revealing & disgusting moment at Texas: Arch Manning, 22, unable to control his laughter while talking about the AI edit of his coach ‘slapping Holly Rowe,'" journalist Christine Brennan, who was not at the press conference, wrote via X on Monday. "And all the laughter in the room accompanying & encouraging him. Will be interesting to hear the explanations/apologies."

Sports radio host Daryl Ruiter wrote via X, "I recognize Arch Manning is just a kid. I have a twisted sense of humor. Someone needs to tell him talking about being amused at an AI video of a female reporter being slapped by your head coach is offensive. Bad bad look."

NFL Network and ESPN reporter Stacey Dales, meanwhile, called Rowe "an incredible journalist."

"If I were in her shoes, I'd cringe," Dales, 47, added via X on Tuesday, September 15. "But also, why is this normalized. It's really not funny. Actually, there is nothing funny here."

Political activist Tara Setmayer shared via X on Monday, "So, we're apparently in the slapping women AI memes are ‘hilarious' era. 🤔 Not funny. Ever. What are they teaching players at Texas? Arch Manning comes from QB royalty, are they ok with this?"

Arch is the nephew of former NFL quarterbacks Peyton and Eli Manning, and the grandson of football icon Archie Manning.

Sarkisian's uncomfortable interaction with Rowe came after a separate incident with ESPN's Laura Rutledge at the end of the first half, during which it appeared the head coach brushed off Rutledge's request for an interview.

"I do want to make sure we clear something up. [Sarkisian] did decline the interview at the half," Rutledge, 37, said at the start of the second half. "He had waited a long time, been very patient with some technical issues that we had. He apologized to us. We should be apologizing to him, which we did."

A spokesperson for the University of Texas told The Athletic that "technical difficulties" were also to blame for Sarkisian's behavior with Rowe.

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This story was originally published September 15, 2026 at 8:05 AM.