Every Saturday, Texas quarterback Arch Manning dons a jersey that carries more weight than usually comes with representing the Longhorns.
He also represents a multi-generational legacy that comes along with the last name "Manning." However, the Horns' QB1 is far from the first college athlete to follow in their parents' footsteps, joining the ranks of former NCAA players such as Shedeur Sanders and Shreef O'Neal.
I got the chance to sit down with O'Neal and talk about family legacy, college sports (and rivalries), and life outside of the game before heading to the Cotton Bowl to see Manning in the Red River Rivalry.
While the rivalry matchup didn't turn out how I had hoped, with the Sooners beating the Horns (and even O'Neal had picked Texas while we were talking a Crown Royal's Rig ahead of kickoff), O'Neal had nothing but praise for Manning, in large part because he had been in his shoes before.
O'Neal played basketball in college, just like his father, Shaquille O'Neal, even transferring to play for the LSU Tigers, the very team his dad played for in college. He had nothing but good things to say about Manning and the job he has done under the pressure of wearing a legacy's name on his back.
"I praise Arch Manning; he's dealt with a lot," O'Neal said. "I feel like Arch Manning is on a Bronny James-type level when it comes to being one of those names he has on his back... We can relate a little bit, O'Neal and Manning; two household names, those jerseys are everywhere in a lot of people have them in their houses, and so I have all-time praise for Arch and the Manning family."
Shareef O'Neal understands Arch Manning turning to family for advice and support
Obviously, while O'Neal may have played for his dad's alma mater, Manning has played for a different team than that of his uncles or grandfather, who spent their college careers with the Ole Miss Rebels or Tennessee Volunteers.
However, O'Neal shared that being able to turn to someone with any amount of knowledge about how life works in collegiate sports was a blessing, especially if it's a close family member, something that Manning has shared time and time again since joining the Longhorns.
"I was looking to my dad a lot," O'Neal said. "I would call him almost every day, 'Hey, what do you think about this? Okay, coach told me this, what do I have to do?' He would always give me the right things... He was giving me the rundown of what to do."
Of course, we were there for a rivalry matchup, one of the biggest in the country, and that's another aspect of sports that O'Neal had growing up, playing against the USC Trojans while he was with the UCLA Bruins and facing the Alabama Crimson Tide while he was playing for LSU.
"For that school, if you're not in the natty [later], that's the big weekend to really be a part of your school and your tradition," O'Neal said. "The fans riled everybody up... and I have friends on the other team, but right now, we're not friends. The rivalries at schools are just amazing."
Since playing in college and after playing in the NBA G League for a few years, O'Neal has taken a step back from basketball and into the professional world, working as a brand ambassador for Crown Royal, which included taking part in the company's Royal Rituals in Dallas this past weekend.
It was all rooted in ritual and tradition, something that O'Neal was clearly familiar with in general, and quickly became familiar with when it came to everything included in the Red River Rivalry.
"Being on the other side [of college rivalries] is actually super crazy," O'Neal said. "I'm almost nervous for both teams. I see how hard these fans are going. My hotel was actually super packed, and I saw the two different colors. I saw Texas; I saw OU."
"Royal Rituals" and "Bring it to the Game" are Crown Royal's season-long campaign, highlighting some of the biggest rivalries and rituals in both college and NFL football. This weekend, it was in Dallas for the Texas-OU game. As one of the brand ambassadors, O'Neal follows the campaign, the Big Rig (a Crown Royal-themed semi-truck), a rotating cast of Royal quarterbacks, and a slew of other Crown Royal-themed events.
Since joining the branding and corporate side of the world, O'Neal shared that he still turns to his father for advice and even works alongside him on Shaq's brands.
"I got to him more on a businessman side now that we work together with Shaq Brand and Reebok," O'Neal said. "I still take the advice he gives me."
And, despite being a few years removed from competing in basketball, he still competes just like he's in a rivalry matchup: going all out.
"I still treat my job and everything I do like a game; competing and being the best I can be," O'Neal said.
Manning is carrying the weight of a legacy step by step, something that O'Neal did just a few years ago. While they didn't play the same sport and didn't play for the same team, they carry a lot of the same values: family, traditions, and rituals.
Up next, the Crown Royal Rig will be in Tuscaloosa, and while the Royal Quarterback has yet to be announced, don't be surprised if someone else who understands rituals is in attendance.
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