Give Arch Manning some breathing room.

That’s the message Tom Brady is sending to the masses aboard the Arch roller coaster, as the 21-year-old quarterback navigates the ups and downs in his first season as a starter under college football’s biggest microscope.

“Before, [players] had the kind of ability to fail when people weren’t watching, to build that resiliency within themselves,” the seven-time Super Bowl champion told Sports Illustrated in an interview published this week.

Arch Manning has become one of the most scrutinized figures in college football. Jordan Prather-Imagn Images

In a new interview, Tom Brady spoke about how young athletes need to be afforded time to grow. Mitch Stringer-Imagn Images

“So I think it’s a real challenge these days for these young kids because Arch Manning, you know, seems like a great kid and great player.”

The nephew of Super Bowl-winning NFL quarterbacks Peyton and Eli Manning, Arch has been in the limelight since his high school days.

Although he saw playing time at Texas over the past two years when quarterback Quinn Ewers was under center, the 2025 campaign marked Arch’s first official season as the Longhorns’ starting quarterback, which has produced mixed results.

Arch Manning is in his first season as the starter at Texas. Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

Arch Manning has endured ups and downs this season. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

He disappointed in his debut against Ohio State, throwing a touchdown and an interception in the 14-7 loss on Aug. 30.

Arch’s struggles continued even as the Longhorns piled up three straight wins, with Brady imploring that the world’s best athletes need time to hone their craft, citing his own experiences.

“Peyton had a lot of years to develop,” Brady, 48, said. “Eli had a lot of years to develop and, you know, I was a college kid once, too, and I wasn’t the best quarterback at that time. And how people remember me after my pro career was a lot different than I remember me after my college career, which is a lot different than me how they remember me after my high school year. So give people a chance to learn and grow and develop and put them in the right situation.”

Tom Brady had time to develop in New England before he was thrust into the NFL action. Getty Images

” … I’d love to see some of these young players not have their confidence broken, you know, because they’re not their uncle… as a 17- or 18-year-old kid.”

The 199th overall pick out of Michigan in 2000, Brady was afforded time to develop in New England before he was thrust into the action ​in Week 2 of his sophomore season, relieving an injured Drew Bledsoe.

Brady and the Patriots never looked back, with the future Hall of Famer guiding the franchise to six Super Bowl titles across 20 seasons. He spent the final three years of his career with Tampa Bay, winning a championship with the Buccaneers in Super Bowl 2021.

The quarterback retired in 2023 and pivoted to broadcasting in the fall of 2024, joining Kevin Burkhardt in Fox’s top NFL booth.

The future Hall of Famer won seven Super Bowls across his career. Getty Images

Though Arch has some time before he reaches the pros, he’s continuing to build on last week’s 16-13 overtime win against Kentucky.

Arch has thrown 12 touchdowns against five interceptions in seven appearances. He’s also rushed for five scores.

The Longhorns visit Mississippi State on Saturday.