"Steve Sarkisian Breaks His Silence: The ‘Unfortunate’ ESPN Drama You Won’t Believe!"
Added on September 17, 2026 inFree CelebrityNews, Sports
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Steve Sarkisian’s recent media address is shaping up to be quite the storm in a teacup! The Texas Longhorns’ head coach is finally sharing his side of the “unfortunate” episodes involving himself, his squad, and ESPN’s star reporter, Holly Rowe. Just as the stars align in your favor, Sarkisian’s timing couldn’t be more telling—right before their big matchup on September 19. He opens up about those awkward interactions that left many buzzing and, let’s face it, probably checking their birth charts for clarity! Furthermore, he dives into the chaos stirred up by his rookie quarterback, Arch Manning. In a world where the cosmos can dictate your luck, Sarkisian hopes wisdom will prevail as he reflects on the importance of patience and respect in the heat of the moment. Curious to unravel this galactic controversy? Buckle up!
Steve Sarkisian is finally breaking his silence on the “unfortunate” controversy surrounding him, his team, and ESPN’s longtime reporter, Holly Rowe. Speaking with the media ahead of Texas’ upcoming Sunday, September 19, ball game, Sarkisian explained what led up to the two uncomfortable interactions he had with ESPN media members late last week. Elsewhere in his statement, Sarkisian addressed the firestorm ignited by his starting quarterback, Arch Manning.
According to On Texas Football, Sarkisian said that he should’ve “exuded more patience” after his team’s upset over the then No. 1 Ohio State Buckeyes.
“There was a delay in the moment, you know, through that delay, I wanted to go celebrate with our team. We just had a 21-point fourth-quarter comeback against the No. 1 team in the country. If hindsight’s 20/20, if I could do it all over again,” he said.
Sarkisian said that he has “a lot of respect” for Holly Rowe, one of ESPN’s longtime reporters, and added that they have a long history.
“ESPN is a great partner of ours. We know we’re going to have more opportunities with that crew covering us, and we’re looking forward to those opportunities. So, could have definitely handled that situation better with a little bit more patience in the moment,” he said.
Steve Sarkisian is ready to celebrate after taking down No. 1 Ohio State🤘😂
(via ABC) pic.twitter.com/rmvZPBZxM2
— On3 (@On3) September 13, 2026
According to a previous report from The Blast, Sarksiaian was shown on camera skipping interviews with ESPN at halftime and after the Longhorns’ impressive comeback win on Saturday, September 12.
The situation prompted a passionate response from Rowe fans, many of whom rushed to social media to slam Sarkisian for displaying unprofessional behavior.
“What a loser,” someone wrote. “First ducking the halftime interview, now this,” while another said, “Holly didn’t deserve this. She works her tail off every day for her job. She works behind the scenes every day for interviews like this.”
“I saw the AI Edit of (Sark) slapping Holly Rowe.”
I asked Arch Manning if he’d seen any edits on TikTok or Twitter after the game, and his answer is gold. pic.twitter.com/70FnNCVEHb
— Evan Vieth (@EvanVieth) September 14, 2026
And if that wasn’t enough, the Texas football team faced even more criticism earlier this week when quarterback Arch Manning was seen laughing with reporters about “AI edits” of Rowe being slapped by Sarkisian.
“Y’all seen that one? That’s a good one. Of him slapping Holly Rowe. It’s hilarious,” Manning said, prompting netizens to slam the 22-year-old for appearing to joke about domestic violence and abuse.
According to Sarkisian, Manning understands “he made an unfortunate mistake.” He went on to say that his team and Manning are against domestic violence or violence against women.
“I think if he could take it back, he would. But he has since apologized to Holly. He’s made a public apology, and you know our goal is that we can move forward and him be the guy that that we all know that he is and what he represents,” Sarkisian finished.
#Texas QB Arch Manning posts an apology to Holly Rowe. pic.twitter.com/15tEY5l26M
— CJ Vogel (@CJVogel_OTF) September 15, 2026
Manning took accountability for his actions, per The Blast, and said he made an “insensitive comment about an AI video.”
“There is nothing funny about it. It’s easy to say I didn’t mean it, but I know my words and actions were hurtful to a lot of people. I do not take that lightly and am deeply sorry for that,” he continued in his Instagram Stories.
Manning said he has a lot of respect for Rowe and appreciated her “showing me grace” during the difficult moment. “I need to do better and will be more thoughtful going forward,” he finished.
Rowe, who has been with ESPN for nearly 30 years, responded with her own post, thanking the quarterback for his public apology. While the pair also spoke privately, Rowe said she would keep the conversation between them. “We move forward with respect and kindness for one another,” she finished.
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