Arch Manning apologizes for ‘insensitive’ joke about AI video of ESPN’s Holly Rowe

Texas’s star quarterback, Arch Manning, has apologized after joking about an AI-generated video that depicted Longhorns coach Steve Sarkisian slapping ESPN college football reporter Holly Rowe after last Saturday’s game. Manning had been asked at a press conference on Monday about the social media reaction to the Longhorns’ 24-23 upset win over No 1 Ohio State. Rowe had attempted to ask Sarkisian a question for the standard postgame interview, but the coach interrupted her and yelled a pair of Texas slogans before walking off.

I saw an AI edit of Sark’s interview,” Manning said on Monday. Of him slapping Holly Rowe. It’s hilarious.” His comments were met with laughter in the room.

On Tuesday, Manning apologized with a statement on his Instagram story, calling his words and actions “hurtful to a lot of people”. There is nothing funny about it,” he wrote. I do not take that lightly and am deeply sorry for it.

I have a ton of respect for her and appreciate her showing me grace in this moment. I need to do better and will be more thoughtful going forward.” Rowe posted a response on Instagram later Tuesday, saying: “Thank you Arch. I appreciate our conversation about this – which will remain private.

We move forward with respect and kindness for one another.” Evan Vieth, the reporter who asked the question in the press conference, apologized on Tuesday for describing Manning’s reaction as “gold” in a post that has more than 27m views on X. Rowe has spent more than two decades as a sideline reporter for ESPN’s college football and college basketball coverage. She has won a Sports Emmy for her reporting and was honored by the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame in 2023 with its Curt Gowdy Electronic Media Award.

Earlier in Saturday’s game, Sarkisian had appeared to avoid talking to ESPN reporter Laura Rutledge for the usual half-time interview. Rutledge later said on the broadcast that ESPN had technical issues. When Rowe found Sarkisian after the game and attempted to ask a question, he screamed, “Let’s go, Texas fight!