Texas quarterback Arch Manning has issued a public apology to ESPN reporter Holly Rowe after facing criticism for his reaction to an AI-generated video depicting an assault on her. Manning, speaking at a press conference following the Longhorns' victory over Ohio State, admitted to seeing AI spoofs of an earlier, awkward interaction between Rowe and Texas head coach Steve Sarkisian. One such video showed Sarkisian slapping Rowe.
Video of Manning laughing at the description of the AI-generated clip, which portrayed Sarkisian backhanding Rowe to the ground, circulated widely. This reaction drew condemnation online, with critics calling his comments insensitive, particularly given Rowe's history as a cancer survivor. Manning addressed the controversy on his Instagram story.
"In my press conference yesterday, I made an insensitive comment about an AI video. There is nothing funny about it," Manning stated. "It's easy to say I didn't mean it, but I know my words and actions were hurtful to a lot of people. I do not take that lightly and am deeply sorry for that."
Manning specifically apologized to Rowe, stating, "I specifically want to apologize to Holly Rowe for what she has personally had to deal with because of my comments. I have a ton of respect for her and appreciate her showing me grace in this moment." He concluded by saying, "I need to do better and will be more thoughtful going forward."
Rowe responded via her own Instagram story, accepting Manning's apology. "Thank you Arch. I appreciate our conversation about this - which will remain private. Apology accepted. We move forward with respect and kindness for one another," she wrote.
The incident originated from a post-game interaction where Sarkisian declined an interview with Rowe following Texas's comeback win against Ohio State. An AI video was created to satirize this event, depicting Sarkisian assaulting Rowe. Manning's laughter in response to reporters discussing this video became the focal point of the subsequent criticism. Some media figures and online commenters expressed disappointment, while others defended Manning, suggesting apologies were unnecessary. Earlier, ESPN's Laura Rutledge had apologized to Sarkisian for a technical issue that caused his halftime interview to be canceled.