There could be a new era of the iconic Manning to Harrison connection.
Arch Manning is preparing to enter his fourth season with the Texas Longhorns, but second as a full-time starting quarterback in 2026.
By all accounts, a solid season for the QB legacy should put him in the running to be an NFL Draft pick of some variety, though most predictors will label him as a sure-fire first-round pick just about automatically.
The nephew of Hall of Famers Peyton and Eli still has work to do in Austin with head coach Steve Sarkisian, but as Heisman Trophy hype builds going into spring practices, so too are the visions of Manning one day reaching the pros.
The NFL free agency period is running rampant, and a recent move has the Arizona Cardinals without a quarterback. Texas native and former Longhorn rival Kyler Murray was released (he's now signed with Minnesota).
Arizona has yet to find Murray's legitimate predecessor, though they could ride with veteran backup Jacoby Brissett in 2026 after he put up solid showings last season when Murray was injured.
Brissett is a reliable option, but by no means a franchise cornerstone to pair with first-round receiver talent Marvin Harrison Jr. and elite tight end Trey McBride.
But one idea circulating online picks the Cardinals as a team that could "tank" their way to a high draft pick in 2027 and draft someone like Manning to hand the keys to.
If that's the case, it would create a new era of the NFL's most dominant quarterback-receiver duo.
With the Indianapolis Colts, Peyton Manning was teamed with Marvin Harrison, the Cardinals wideout's father. The pairing has the league record for most touchdown connections with 112 in the regular season.
Cards writer Kyler Burd went as far as to prelude the possibility with a fun jersey swap online.
Peyton and Marv Sr. were teammates for 20 seasons (1998-2008) and won Super Bowl XLI together one year before their iconic partnership came to an end.
Though it'd be with a different franchise, Arch and Marv Jr. could create a lethal pairing that would be equally as nostalgic as it would be impactful for a rebuilding franchise in the desert.
Manning, unlike his uncles, possesses a savvy playmaking ability outside the pocket, but he'll be hobbled for the immediate time being. Arch is recovering from a minor foot surgery over the offseason and will begin easing into spring practices soon. He's expected to be a full participant by the time Sark and the Longhorns really ramp up toward the fall.
Harrison Jr. is coming off a forgetful second season in 2025. He appeared in 12 games (five less than his rookie year) and caught 41 passes for 608 yards and four touchdowns. Those numbers were far off his 62 grabs, 885 yards and eight scores in a breakout season in 2024 when he was the fourth overall pick.
With better quarterback play, of course, Harrison still possesses all the traits necessary to grow into an elite wide receiver. He resembles his Hall of Fame father in a 6-3 frame and broad shoulders that high point the football on the sideline.
There is still a lot of time to go, but there's a potential timeline that reimagines one of the NFL's greatest duos. It's something fun to think about with Manning entering his final year of college football and the Cardinals searching for what's next.
