University of Texas quarterback Arch Manning, 22, apologized to veteran ESPN sideline reporter Holly Rowe for laughing at an AI video that shows his head coach, Steve Sarkisian, hitting her.
Following the Longhorns’ 24-23 comeback win over No. 1 ranked Ohio State on Saturday, Sept. 12, coach Sarkisian is seen brutally slapping Rowe on the sideline in an AI-generated video.
The video was a meme of a real interview Rowe tried to conduct with Sarkisian after the big upset win. She seemed irritated when the coach blew her off.
On Monday, Sept. 14, a reporter asked Manning if he had seen any social media edits of the Longhorns’ big win over the weekend.
Manning laughed and said he saw the AI video of his coach slapping Rowe.
Manning asked if any of the other reporters in the room had seen the video. “I saw an AI edit of Sark’s interview,” he said. “You all seen that one? That’s a good one — of him slapping Holly Rowe. That’s hilarious.”
Some of the male reporters also laughed and confirmed they had seen it.
The response from women on social media was swift.
“I was horrified,” said women’s college basketball play-by-play announcer Cindy Brunson. “I thought, why do men take the misogyny exit on the freeway at the very first opportunity?”
She added, “That entire room told on themselves. Not one person in that entire room said, ‘Why are we laughing at this?'”
Manning apologized for his “insensitive comment” in an Instagram post on Tuesday.
“In my press conference yesterday, I made an insensitive comment about an AI video. There is nothing funny about it. 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 wrote.
Rowe seemed to accept his apology. “Thank you, Arch,” she wrote on social media. “I appreciate our conversation about this, which will remain private. Apology accepted. We move forward with respect and kindness for one another.”
Watch the videos below.
You’re all welcome. Hookem. pic.twitter.com/7sRH9jQpIm
— Hookem ? (@hookem) September 14, 2026