Texas fans won't get to use Arch Manning in EA College Football 25

College football fans have been waiting a decade for the return of a college football video game. They're getting their wish this year with EA College Football 25 set to release sometime this summer.

But this is a new era for the video game. The rise of NIL opened the door for the game to come back with players able to profit off their name, image and likeness within the game. Already, thousands of student-athletes have opted in to appear in the game including Jalen Milroe, Emeka Egbuka and Donovan Edwards. However, one high-profile player has declined.

Arch Manning will not appear in EA College Football 25, according to Anwar Richardson of OrangeBloods.com.

Arch Manning won't opt in to EA College Football 25 for...reasons

The Texas quarterback wants to focus on playing football on the field, according to Richardson, whatever that implies.

It's not clear exactly why Manning thinks he can't be in the video game and also focus on the actual football field. Patrick Mahomes is in every Madden game and it doesn't seem to have impacted his game. Manning's appearance in the game certainly wouldn't get in the way of him suiting up for Texas or earning a starting job. Quinn Ewers' return is a much bigger factor in that equation...

Whatever. To each their own. It's Manning's prerogative to decide if he wants to be in the game or not. It's his name, image and likeness after all.

Maybe he doesn't want the distraction of when some Texas fans inevitably live out the dream of the former five-star quarterback usurping the incumbent starter (who will be in the game) and leading the Longhorns to a national title.

Maybe Manning is extremely (and relatably) averse to filling out paperwork. He'd need to do that to collect the $600 alloted to each player who opts in, along with a copy of the game. Who knows.

The show will go on without Manning.