Johnny Manziel nearly attempted to become Johnny Football again. In a recent podcast appearance, the 32-year-old Manziel admitted he considered giving the NFL a second try.
“I asked myself this question last year at some point,” Manziel said on the Impaulsive podcast with Logan Paul. “Really got myself in a mindset of ok, I’m going to go start working out again. Throw the football around. See if I can still get myself in shape. Compete at that kind of level or see myself on a football field making the throws that I could’ve at one point in time. I remember calling my agent and saying, ‘ok, I think I’m going to try to make a comeback.”
After an electric Texas A&M college career, Manziel became a polarizing NFL draft prospect. His athleticism and penchant for making big plays was attractive but questions over his size, true arm talent, and immaturity. Famously, former Steelers’ running Merril Hoge, then an ESPN analyst, went on TV to rail against the idea of a team drafting Manziel as its future franchise hopeful.
Hoge’s warning was proven correct and also unheeded by the Cleveland Browns, who made Manziel the 22nd overall pick of the 2014 draft. He lasted just two seasons, struggling with accuracy and decision-making with horrific film room habits. A messy front office and poor roster building did him no favors but he went just 2-6 in eight total starts. Losing every off-field tie to him, his marketing agency and agent Drew Rosenhaus parting ways with him, the Browns’ franchise soon followed suit. In March of 2016, Manziel was released.
After an unsuccessful stint in the CFL, Manziel’s playing days were over. And may have played a role in why he didn’t further pursue a comeback.
“[My agent] said, ok, ‘we’ll start talking with some guys. UFL, XFL,'” Manziel said after sharing his comeback plans. “I’m just sitting there thinking, there’s no way I’m going to back to fucking play in one of these early leagues. UFL, XFL, anything like that, and go do that whole thing again…as I went through this process last year, I’m not going back into these leagues to try and have a three or four game stretch where you’re maybe able to get invited to a training camp.”
While Johnny Manziel may have matured over the years, his unwillingness to even consider playing in a “minor” league to show his talent and ability still speaks to a level of entitlement that’s hampered his professional career. Even in a quarterback-starved world, a player in Manziel’s shoes can’t just waltz back into the league. Building himself up in a spring league would’ve been the correct path, showing he’s taken steps to avoid the pitfalls of his first stint, but wasn’t an avenue Manziel was willing to take. He has every right to opt against returning to the NFL for any reason but that answer shows a comeback would’ve been unsuccessful.
Manziel wasn’t the answer as the Browns’ quarterback. All those years later, Cleveland is still searching for its starter in a four-way competition that makes for the messiest battle in football. Manziel wasn’t the answer then and he isn’t the answer now.
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