Last updated: October 9, 2026.
Cooper Manning was the first of the Manning brothers to play football, and the only one who never got to play in college. A spinal condition ended his career at 18. The Arch Manning family story starts with that loss, because Cooper’s son is now the quarterback at Texas.
Arch is the grandson of Archie Manning and the nephew of Peyton and Eli. His mother won a state volleyball title. So did his sister, at the same school, 34 years later.
Quick Facts
| Full name | Archibald Charles Manning |
| Born | April 27, 2004 |
| Hometown | New Orleans, Louisiana |
| Father | Cooper Manning |
| Mother | Ellen Heidingsfelder Manning |
| Siblings | Sister May; younger brother Heid |
| Grandparents | Archie and Olivia Manning |
| Uncles | Peyton Manning and Eli Manning |
| Position | Quarterback |
| Team | Texas Longhorns |
Who Are Arch Manning’s Parents?
Arch Manning’s parents are Cooper Manning and Ellen Heidingsfelder Manning. They met in the early 1990s and married in 1999. They have three children.
Cooper Manning, his father
Cooper Manning was born on March 6, 1974, in New Orleans. He is the eldest son of Archie and Olivia Manning.
He was a wide receiver, not a quarterback. In his senior year at Isidore Newman School he caught 76 passes for 1,250 yards. The quarterback throwing to him was his younger brother Peyton.
He committed to Ole Miss, his father’s university. In the summer before his first season he felt numbness in his fingers and toes. Doctors at the Mayo Clinic found spinal stenosis, a narrowing of the spine that pinches the nerves. He stopped playing at once. Those details are set out in his Wikipedia biography.
He has said he isn’t bitter. He told USA Today that it was simply the hand he was dealt. When Peyton entered the NFL in 1998, he wore Cooper’s old number, 18.
Cooper built a career in finance and television. He became a partner at an energy investment firm, joined a real estate company as a senior managing director in 2016, and has hosted The Manning Hour for Fox Sports since 2015.
Ellen Heidingsfelder Manning, his mother
Ellen Heidingsfelder is from New Orleans. She was working as an attorney there when she and Cooper began dating, according to reporting collected by Heavy.
She was an athlete too. She played volleyball for Sacred Heart in New Orleans and was the most valuable player of the 1986 state championship game, the Dallas Morning News has reported.
She stays out of interviews. Almost everything known about her comes from her husband and from coverage of her children.
Does Arch Manning Have Siblings?
Yes. Arch Manning has a sister, May, and a younger brother, Heid.
May Manning went to the Academy of the Sacred Heart, her mother’s school. In 2020 she was the most valuable player of a state championship volleyball game, the same honor her mother had won. She went on to play at the University of Virginia.
Heid Manning played center for the Isidore Newman football team, and lacrosse as well. For a time he was snapping the ball to his older brother.
Cooper has said there is no rivalry at home. He told MaxPreps that all three children are equally excited by each other’s successes.
How Is Arch Manning Related to Peyton and Eli?
Peyton and Eli Manning are Arch Manning’s uncles. They are his father’s two younger brothers. Each won two Super Bowls as an NFL quarterback.
His grandfather is Archie Manning, who played quarterback in the NFL, most famously for the New Orleans Saints. Arch is named after him. His grandmother is Olivia Manning.
All of them went through the same place. Cooper, Peyton, Eli, Arch and Heid all played at Isidore Newman.
How Did His Family Shape His Career?
The family’s main contribution was to keep things quiet. His parents limited media access and turned down early scholarship offers. Arch kept his social media account private until after he had chosen a college.
The play spoke for him. He was the national freshman of the year in 2019. As a senior he threw seven touchdown passes in one game, breaking school records held by both of his uncles. He left Newman with 8,539 passing yards and 115 touchdown passes.
He committed to Texas on June 23, 2022. He redshirted in 2023 and started twice in 2024.
He became the starter in 2025. He threw for 3,163 yards and 26 touchdowns, ran for 10 more, and Texas went 10-3. Against Arkansas he became the first Texas player to throw, catch and run for a touchdown in the same game.
What Is Arch Manning Doing Now?
Arch Manning is in his second season as the Texas starter. The Longhorns won their first three games of 2026 and reached No. 1 in the rankings.
One of those wins was 24-23 over Ohio State, after Texas trailed by 20 points going into the fourth quarter. The receiver on the other side that day was Jeremiah Smith, who caught eight passes for 164 yards.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who are Arch Manning’s parents? Cooper Manning, a businessman and Fox Sports host, and Ellen Heidingsfelder Manning.
Does Arch Manning have siblings? Yes. He has a sister, May, who played volleyball at Virginia, and a younger brother, Heid.
Is Arch Manning Peyton Manning’s son? No. Peyton is his uncle. Arch is the son of Cooper Manning, the eldest of the three brothers.
Why didn’t Cooper Manning play in the NFL? He was diagnosed with spinal stenosis at 18, before his first college season, and had to stop playing.
Who is Arch Manning’s grandfather? Archie Manning, the former New Orleans Saints quarterback.
Where did Arch Manning go to high school? Isidore Newman School in New Orleans, like his father and uncles.
