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Texas QB Arch Manning landed a new deal with Uber this offseason as he continues to add to his NIL portfolio. The passer announced the partnership on social media Tuesday.
The agreement will work to promote a self-driving car service called Waymo. Manning was seen in an advertisement alongside his father and grandfather which was posted on Uber’s online outlets.
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Waymo’s partnered with athletes like Tracy McGrady and Andre Jackson in the past. The company recently teamed up with Uber to extend its services into Austin. Essentially, you’ll be able to order a driver-less pickup through the Uber app as opposed to riding with a human behind the wheel.
Starting Tuesday, passengers in Austin can request a driverless Waymo car through the Uber app.
To order a Waymo car, Uber users order their ride on the Uber app as they usually would, and the app notifies riders that a Waymo driverless car is on the way…
Currently, Waymo cars on the Uber app are priced the same as regular Uber rides.
The two sides had previously been tied up in a legal battle after Waymo accused Uber of stealing trade secrets. They’ve now dropped animosities to join forces. Uber will be utilizing robotaxis built by Waymo in Phoenix, Austin, and Atlanta.
Waymo is reportedly giving more than 100,000 rides a week in major cities on the West Coast through its own ride-hailing app. The deal with Uber will only further expand those driver-less services into other metropolitan areas.
The companies found it best to market the product in the Lone Star State through Arch Manning, maybe the most popular person at the University of Texas.
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Arch Manning’s NIL wealth continues to grow.
He’d already been considered one of college football’s top NIL earners. Moving into his redshirt sophomore year, his estimated value neared $7 million.
Not only does the deal with Uber increase the quarterback’s growing portfolio, but it might just help the Longhorns avoid issues seen at another SEC rival.
The Georgia Bulldogs have become one of the sport’s top programs under Kirby Smart’s leadership. They’ve won a pair of national titles and made yet another College Football Playoff appearance this past season.
That said, off-field concerns have continued to mount. A number of roster members have been involved in driving related run-ins. Despite Smart’s efforts, which include docking NIL pay for offenders, issues have persisted.
Texas hasn’t run into the same problems, and Arch Manning is hoping to keep it that way in 2025. He won’t be behind the wheel this season. No one will! With a potential off-field distraction mitigated, he can keep the focus on football in his first full season as a starter.