On Wednesday, The Athletic posted an op-ed fuming over Arch Manning and Steve Sarkisian.
“Did Arch Manning, Steve Sarkisian and cackling reporters act this way? It can’t be real,” Candace Buckner wrote in a headline.
Buckner is referring to Manning citing an AI video earlier this week of Sarkisian slapping ESPN reporter Holly Rowe, which he and the reporters in the room found funny. On Saturday, Sarkisian blew up Rowe during a post-game interview.
Manning has since apologized. Rowe said she accepted the apology.
Evidently, Buckner did not.
Arch Manning No. 16 of the Texas Longhorns warms up before a game against the Ohio State Buckeyes at Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium on Sept. 12, 2026, in Austin, Texas. (Getty Images)
“I can’t tell which is worse: the phony clip depicting violence against a woman, or the real-life behavior displayed by Sarkisian, then Manning and a room of media members? Before they could edit themselves and add a glossy filter to their apologies, they showed the sordid bits of their individual characters for all to see,” she wrote.
For the record, Manning finding the AI-generated clip funny says nothing about his character.
Even if you agree that he should have apologized – if, for nothing else, to mitigate the distraction – his comments are not worth the level of outrage Buckner is exhibiting.
It’s also notable that Buckner is showing such fury over Manning, Sarkisian, and reporters over their treatment of women, but not Green Bay Packers running back Josh Jacobs.
From what we can tell, Buckner has not penned a single article about Jacobs, who is facing a felony charge for allegedly strangling his ex-girlfriend.
Not a word.
Josh Jacobs No. 8 of the Green Bay Packers runs off the field during halftime of a preseason game against the Arizona Cardinals at Lambeau Field on Aug. 28, 2026, in Green Bay, Wis. (Getty Images)
Why is that?
Why would a sports reporter for The Athletic show more disgust over a player joking about a meme hitting a woman than a player who was arrested and put on the NFL Commissioner’s Exemption list for allegedly hitting women?
We had hoped to find that answer. OutKick contacted The Athletic for comment and to see if we could speak to Candace Buckner for this article. The outlet did not respond.
We will update this story if we hear from either The Athletic or Buckner.
The Athletic’s coverage disparity follows a familiar trend in sports media, in which reporters and commentators treat word crimes more seriously than violent crimes.
JAXSON DART FACES MORE BACKLASH FOR INTRODUCING TRUMP THAN NFL PLAYERS FACE FOR VIOLENT CRIMES
Texas Longhorns quarterback Arch Manning answers questions from the media during SEC Media Days at Omni Atlanta Hotel. (Jordan Godfree-Imagn Images)
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For example, the usual suspects demanded similar accountability as Manning when Jaxon Dart introduced President Trump on stage and when Harrison Butker encouraged women to consider staying at home and raising kids.
Likewise, they were as silent as they were with Jacobs when various players were arrested and charged with serious violent crimes, often against women.
In fact, there was more outrage over Butker’s remarks than when his teammate, Rashee Rice, crashed into a car with a young woman and her child, driving 119 mph and fleeing the scene.
Imagine that.
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These reporters come across as so phony and contrived. How else can you describe a group that is more upset about a joke than abuse?