August 22, 2024 • 39 mins
Join host Jay Harris as he continues exploring Johnny Manziel's turbulent journey that treads a precarious line between fame and infamy. As 'Johnny Football' transitions from collegiate hero to NFL hopeful, the shadows of his past loom large. Will Manziel's struggle with professional setbacks and his fight against mental health challenges lead to redemption, or tragedy? Find out, on this episode of Playing Dirty: Sports Scandals.
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:07):
Welcome back to playing dirty sports Scandals were I sportscaster
and scandal server Extraordinariy Jay Harris guide you through some
of sports darkest chapters. You may recall that last week
we kicked off the Johnny Manziel or should I say
Johnny Football story about an unbelievably gifted quarterback struggling to
toe the line off the GridION. Were Johnny's off field
(00:31):
antics from NCAA violation, breaches and fights to fake id's
and late night partying end his career at the college level?
Or was he destined for the NFL? I? Yes, all
the ingredients were in the mix for Johnny Football to
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become a legend. Unparalleled athleticism check, charisma check a doring
fans check. But would he ultimately score his dream touchdown
by turning pro? Time would tell? Now. You might remember
that Johnny had been red shirted by a Texas A
and M head coach Kevin Sumler. This meant that even
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though college sophomores typically aren't eligible for the NFL draft,
Johnny was since he was in his third academic year
remember his first technical year. As in Aggie had been
taking classes and training with the team his second year
had been his freshman football debut, and so by his
sophomore year, Johnny had completed sufficient college for the showpiece event,
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the NFL Draft. But even though Johnny Manziel could be
drafted under eligibility rules, there were some who didn't believe
he should head to the NFL, at least not yet.
First and foremost, Johnny's parents seemed to be concerned about
their erratic son turning pro in the midst of his
slew of public flare ups, even though they knew that
(02:01):
if Johnny did go to the NFL, he would likely
gain millions of dollars in sponsorships out the gate. According
to the Bleacher Report, after winning the twenty twelve Heisman Trophy,
Johnny Manziel estimated that he would have been worth probably
ten million dollars in NIL endorsements after his red shirt
sophomore season, and could have collected five million through his
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social media channels alone. The fact that Johnny's financial prospects
were so strong in this moment underscore at least some
of the probable logic behind his father's next move. Paul
Manziel met with Texas A and M head coach Kevin
Sumlin and tried to cut a deal for Johnny to
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see his college education through. Johnny himself recounted what apparently
went down on Shannon Sharp's Club Shay Shape podcast, saying
it was the spring of twenty fourteen, or maybe December
twenty thirteen, right in there about December or January, and
I'm getting ready to make this say on if I'm
going to the NFL Draft or if I'm going to
(03:03):
stay at Texas A and M. I didn't find this
out until five years later from my dad. But my
dad went and had a meeting with Kevin Sumlet and
pretty much went to him manned man and was like,
we'll take three million dollars and he'll stay for the
next two years. Interesting, huh. Now, this practice wasn't unique
to the Manziell family. These types of transactions were part
(03:25):
of a long standing tradition in collegiate sports, reflecting the
secretive yet widespread practice of under the table deals before
the era of name, image and likeness agreements. But it
was noteworthy that Johnny Manziel's dad tried to cut a
pay to play deal with A and M that would
have almost certainly been far less than his son's earnings
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in the NFL. We can only speculate on Paul Manziel's motivations, but,
as most parents would agree, keeping your kid out of
trouble is priceless, and maybe, just maybe Paul Aul Manziel
believed that giving Johnny more time to mature before turning
pro would ultimately pay off in spades. But as the
(04:07):
saying goes, the devil fools with the best laid plans,
and Paul Manziel's attempt was quickly thwarted when coach Kevin
Sumlin and Texas A and M did not agree to
cutting the discreete deal. Given that the college's donations had
more than doubled due to Johnny's playing, it's actually remarkable
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that the school turned down the offer to keep him
for two more years for just three million dollars. Perhaps
A and M was unique in its institutional commitment to
not playing dirty, or perhaps the administration had a feeling
that Johnny football was about to go off the rails
and become a liability. In any event, Rumor has it
that coach Sumlin laughed at Paul Manziel's proposal and no
(04:50):
money changed hands, So Johnny Manziel riding high as one
of college football's biggest breakout stars was headed for the
NFL Draft. You probably think that's the sound of a
drink being excitedly poured, but you'd be wrong. That's the
sound that almost unraveled Johnny Manziel's NFL career before it
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had even begun. A positive drug test. Nobody could believe it.
In Netflix's documentary Untold Johnny Football, Johnny Manziel's agent, Eric
Burkhardt recalls how flummoxed he was that his client had
risked flushing away his draft chances. According to Eric, there
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had been a rigorous drug testing regimen set up, especially
to ensure that Johnny was clean at this pivotal moment.
I knew Johnny's habits would be an issue, so I
wanted proof he was drug free, the frustrated agent explained.
But somehow, despite the tight structure put in place to
support Johnny's success, a week before the scouting combine, he lapsed.
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Johnny attended a party in Hollywood, and the next morning
it became clear to him and everyone on his team
that he partied far too hard. Fearing that a positive
drug test on the day of the combine could plummet
his draft stock from a potential first round pick to
possibly going undrafted altogether. Eric advised Johnny to skip the combine.
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Did Johnny listen though, Well, at this point I think
you know the answer to that. Johnny was determined to
attend the scouting combine and so backed into an impossible position.
Eric put on his agent problem solving hat and devised
a plan. And not just any plan. It was an
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absolute shocker. I called Johnny's parents, Paula Michelle, Eric admitted
in the Netflix documentary years later. I said, you're checking
yourself into the hospital, Paul with a heavy heart, so
that Johnny can divert and come to the combine for
twelve hours so that it doesn't look weird. We'll put
him on a place to go see dad in the hospital.
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But this scheme was rejected by Johnny when he caught
wind of it, and the troublesome quarterback took the situation
into his own hands. According to Eric, Johnny came to
him and said, I've been passing these tests at A
and M for a while, and then he revealed, in
a shocking confession of cheating, that it had actually been
the Aggie's fourth string quarterback, providing clean urine samples for him.
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All along. Johnny had also picked up another trick that
he could chug water and flush the toxins from his system.
Since he could hardly take the fourth string Aggie's quarterback
to the scouting combine without raising eyebrows, Johnny went for
his ladder strategy. He crushed liquids and continued taking drug
tests in Eric Burkhardt's room until the results were satisfactory
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to them. Both. Against all the odds, Johnny Manziel performed
well at the NFL scouting combine, but there was the
constant churn of self inflicted challenge around Johnny Manziel by
this time, and so it was sadly no surprise to
anyone that the relief of getting through the scouting combine
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was short lived. Eric Burkhardt, who frankly sounds like the
most committed agent going, had arranged a private workout for
his client with the Cleveland Browns coaches at Texas A
and M's indoor facility to give Johnny a chance to
flex his skills for the pros. But was Johnny appreciative
of his agent's efforts. Nope. Imagine the morning when it
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was time for the private workout, and the receiver's schedule
to work with Johnny Manziel were no shows. Why because
the dinner in College Station with the Cleveland Browns executives
the night before had gotten out of hand, with Johnny
himself at the heart of the celebrations. By the time
everyone was due to meet up for the private practice
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the next morning, one receiver was missing and another one
was so drunk he could get up. Johnny, who was
used to playing after partying, did show up, but his
opportunity to demonstrate his abilities with the Cleveland Browns coaches
was scuppered. It was Easter weekend, so literally nobody was
on campus, and the workout was at A and m's
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indoor facility. In the previous night's haze, somehow, Johnny also
lost his bag. Eric Burkhardt tweeted later detailing the chaos
of the day. Without cleats or proper attire, Johnny and
his support team faced an almost comical predicament. Keep in mind,
we had just negotiated the largest shoe deal ever in
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the history of the NFL pre draft with Nike. Eric
at it, emphasizing the irony of the situation. We had
a whole Johnny football line with royalties, etc. And still
couldn't manage to get dressed properly. With the workout looming
at eight am, two Aggie receivers as no shows thanks
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to their night out with Johnny and no possibility to
buy new gear in time, desperation led to drastic measures.
The equipment staff and coaches were out of town for
Eastern so we literally had to break into the equipment
cage at A and M with like a tire iron.
Eric revealed. Then Johnny ended up wearing oversized Adidas cleats
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and tiny A and M shorts that he had worn
under his genes the night before as Eric and Johnny's
attorney stood in for the missing NFL receivers. This frenzied
situation at yet another future determining event perfectly encapsulated the
unpredictable and often have hazard nature of Johnny Manzel's journey
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to the NFL, characterized by his immense talent on the
field and his equally immense challenges off it. The private session,
although far from conventional, was viewed by the Cleveland Browns
executives and highlighted the links to which his team would
go to keep his professional dreams on track in spite
of Johnny himself. As the date of the NFL Draft
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drew ever nearer, the spotlight on Johnny Manziel grew increasingly intense.
His every move was scrutinized not just by the media
now but by potential NFL teams. In twenty fourteen, with
the Houston Texans holding the coveted first overall pick, speculations
surged around whether Johnny Manziel could be selected to continue
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his football career in his home state of Texas. His
lone star fans certainly wanted to keep him around. In fact,
one Influentio Texas Han m fan even commissioned a billboard
in the Houston area encouraging the Houston Texans said draft
Johnny with the first pick. The billboard read keep Johnny
football in Texas, and initially it seemed as though the
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fans would have their way. Interactions between Johnny Manziel and
the Houston Texans began positively. Johnny was pulling out all
all the stops to make a good impression with his
top pick. He even participated in an uncharacteristically drama free
manner at a major charity event at the river Oaks
Country Club in Houston. The Texans owner, Bob McNair and
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his wife Janis were likely impressed to see Johnny contributing
his own money to the charity. In the words of
Johnny's agent, Eric, the event was a phenomenal success. But
in typical Johnny Manziel fashion, this momentum in the right
direction came to an abrupt halt the very next day
when he exercised grossly inappropriate behavior on the river Oaks
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country Club golf course. Johnny recounted receiving the call that
would significantly dampen Johnny's prospects with the Texans. The next day,
I get a call, Eric's shared in the Netflix documentary.
They said Johnny was golfing today at river Oaks Country Club,
and it got back to the owner's family that Johnny
by whole five, taking his shirt off, looked intoxicated and
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broke multiple clubs over his knee and threw them in
the pond. There goes Houston, is what I thought. Johnny's
long suffering agent sure had his work cut out for him.
The dream of Johnny Manziel being drafted first overall by
the Houston Texans was over. The franchise's owner, Bob McNair
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explained to ESPN exactly why he decided to pass on Johnny, saying,
I knew with Manziel that would be a frenzy long term.
We had questions as to how well he'd fit in
our system doing what we wanted to do, and so
with Houston now definitely off the table, Johnny and Eric
turned their attention to other options. What other NFL teams
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needed a quarterback refresh and how could they best set
the stage for a now uncertain draft day strategy dictated
that the Jacksonville Jaguars and the Cleveland Browns would be
for picking up Johnny. These teams held the third and
fourth overall picks, respectively, and both franchises were in desperate
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need of a quarterback to revitalize their squads. Additionally, the
Oakland Raiders with the fifth pick, and the Minnesota Vikings,
who held the eighth pick, were also in the mix.
The air was thick with speculation, with fans and analysts
making predictions and placing bets on where Johnny Football might land,
But as the draft kicked off, it quickly became clear
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that the concerns about Johnny's off field behavior and uncertainty
about his transition to the NFL was causing his stock
to slip. One by one. Teams passed on the opportunity
to draft him, opting instead for players with less risk attached.
The tension in the draft room was palpable as the
picks ticked by, with Johnny's name conspicuously unmentioned. The weight
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stretched on for over three hours. It was an agon
period for Johnny Manzil, who had entered the draft with
hopes of a top pick. Finally, a pivotal moment came
that would change the course of the evening. Cleveland Brown's
quarterbacks coach Dowell Loggins later revealed after the draft in
a radio interview on Sports Talk with Bo Mattingly that
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a message came to him directly from Johnny and made
all the difference. As Johnny saw himself sliding down the
draft board, he texted coach Dowell Loggins, I wish you
guys would come get me. Hurry up and draft me,
because I want to wreck this league together. This message,
infused with Johnny's characteristic boldness and desire to make an impact,
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resonated strongly. Coach Loggins, moved by Johnny's enthusiasm, quickly forwarded
the message to the rest of the Cleveland Browns staff
and administration. When I got that text, I forwarded to
the owner, Jimmy Haslam, and to the head coach, Mike Petton.
I'm like, this guy wants to be here, he wants
to be part of it. As soon as that happened,
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mister Haslam said, pull the trigger. We're trading up to
get this guy, And just like that, Johnny Manziel had
once again put himself back in play. The Cleveland Browns,
a team that had historically struggled with quarterback stability, saw
in Johnny Manziel not just a talented player, but that
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spark of potential brilliance that could turn their fortune around.
After all, the Cleveland Browns were one of only four
teams never to appear in a Super Bowl, a drought
of decades. Driven by Johnny Manziel's eagerness and maybe their
own desperation, the Browns moved up four spots to select
Johnny at number twenty two, deciding to take the plunge
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and bring into their fold the player who promised to
quote wreck the league. The immediate impact of Johnny Manziel's
selection was nothing short of explosive. Within just twenty five
minutes of announcing his draft, the Cleveland Browns had sold
two hundred new season tickets and seen an additional three
hundred renewals. The excitement was palpable, as the team vice
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president shared that the phones were ringing off the hook,
signaling a surge of renewed interest and optimism among the
Cleveland Browns fan base. Meanwhile, the buzz spread to social media,
where another Browns executive posted a photo of the newly
minted Johnny Manzil jerseys now available at the team shop,
ready for eager fans looking to don the number of
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their new quarterback. This whirlwind of activity underscored the high
hopes and high stakes accompanying Johnny's arrival in Cleveland. Given
his history, this high level of pressure on Johnny was
never likely to end well. Okay, get hydrated and brace yourself,
because we're about to take a wild ride on Johnny
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Manziel's roller coaster NFL career enter the league with a
chip on his shoulder and an on field reputation to
defend the long wait on draft day and slide to
the twenty second overall pick. Had been humbling for Johnny,
who was accustomed to fanfare and adulation from his college
station fans at Texas A and M. In fact, Johnny
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told the press that he would remember the teams that
did not pick him. I'm going to take a very
aggressive mindset into it, Johnny said. I'm going to work
extremely hard to get what I want, and I know
what that is. I want to win and I want
to be successful. The amount of time I put in
and the heart I put into this, which I know
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I'm capable of doing, will tell the tale. But can
a tiger ever really change its stripes? Johnny's bumpy draft
experience had set the tone for his NFL career. Things
were off to a rocky start, and the drama was
just beginning. As Johnny suited up in brown and orange
for Cleveland, the excitement and optimism that heralded his arrival
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soon gave way to the stark realities of NFL life.
His time with the Cleveland Browns was characterized by a
series of ups and downs that mirrored his tumultuous tenure
at Texas A and M. Initially, the franchise and its
fans hoped that Johnny's dynamic abilities could translate into a
revitalizing force for a team in desperate need of a turnaround,
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but not all college stars translate to knockout professional athletes,
and Johnny's rookie season was a mixture of brief flashes
of potential coupled with struggles both on and off the field.
Within months of his NFL debut, Johnny was fined twelve
thousand dollars by the NFL for giving the middle finger
to the Washington Redskins bench during a preseason game. But
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perhaps more worrying for the Cleveland Browns was that Johnny's
improvisational playing style, while electrifying in college, faced different hurdles
in the structured environment of professional football, and their new
recruit wasn't putting in the work required to level up
his skills. Several sources within the team indicated that Johnny
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Manziel struggled with the basics of play calling. On multiple occasions,
he seemed not to know the plays in the huddle
or didn't call them correctly, raising concerns about his grasp
of the playbook. Johnny's off the cuff playing style was
simply not working in the NFL, and despite Johnny's pledge
to do everything he could to succeed. It was soon
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clear that these were empty words. After all, the bare
minimum for a quarterback in the NFL is to learn
the playbook. Don't you think one of the responsibilities of
NFL players is to tackle a fundamental aspect of professional
football film study. Film study in football is a crucial
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practice that allows players and coaches to gain a competitive
edge in game. Footage helps players to understand opponents tendencies,
recognize formations, and anticipate plays. It's absolutely necessary for professional
players to engage in this minimum requirement. Yet, in a
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revealing insight from the Netflix documentary about Johnny's career, his
agent Eric Burkhardt, disclosed it while in Cleveland, Johnny never studied.
I mean he never watched tape ever. Not a game,
not a play, not a second nothing. By comparison, some
of the greatest NFL quarterbacks of all time, players like
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Tom Brady, Peyton Manning, and Patrick Mahomes, are renowned for
their ferocious film study habits. Johnny's utter lack of effort
drove the Cleveland Browns management to intervene. The GM called
me and said, he's not watching tape. Eric recounted. When
Eric pressed the GM for more details, asking if Johnny
had even spent a minimal amount of time on this
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crucial task, the reply was stark. Eric, the GM said,
his iPad hours is zero point zero zero. How was
super Agent Eric supposed to mitigate the fallout from this
latest bombshell? He could hardly contest the Cleveland Brown's report.
After all, the team had provided Johnny with an iPad
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loaded with game film, which also allowed coaches to track
his engagement. The tool didn't lie, and so backed into
a corner. Neither did Johnny. When asked directly about the
time he spent on film study, Johnny simply stated zero.
Only thirty two individuals in the world earned starting quarterback
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positions each week. How infuriating to hear from one of
those talented, immensely lucky few that maintaining such a big
dream wasn't worth even a small effort. But we've all
heard the saying you get out what you put in,
and Johnny Manziel was in for a rude awakening. Johnny's
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twenty fourteen NFL season with the Cleveland Browns was lackluster.
He played in five games, started in two and clearly
struggled with the professional level of play. He completed eighteen
of thirty five passes for a total of one hundred
and seventy five yards, threw no touchdowns, and was intercepted twice. Additionally,
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he was sacked three times and rushed for a total
of just twenty nine yards or nine attempts ouch. His
performance was definitely not living up to the spectacle of
the Aggies legendary Johnny football. In fact, another Cleveland Browns
player anonymously told ESPN that Johnny's entire twenty fourteen season
was one hundred percent joke. This blood assessment echoed broader
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concerns within the Cleveland Browns organization about Johnny Manziel's technical
readiness for a professional football and Johnny's off field behavior
was once again only adding to the franchise's concerns. As
Sports Business journal reporter John Oran put it to NPR
reporter David Green, Johnny Manziel has been photographed partying everywhere
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from Las Vegas to bartending at a nightclub in Austin, Texas.
If you play on an NFL team, people want you
to play inside the lines. They don't like anybody that's
a swashbuckler that does anything that could potentially be a distraction.
Johnny Manziel was both distracted and a distraction. Cleveland dot
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Com captured the essence of Johnny Manziel's behavior at this time.
Writing at the NFL Rookie Symposium in Los Angeles in May,
just weeks after the draft, Johnny Manziel crawled under a
skirted table and took a nap during an autograph session
with potential sponsors after a night out with Rapper Drake
and friends. From there, the Progressive Party traveled to Las Vegas, Austin, Texas,
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and back to Los Angeles. It included Johnny's infamous intoxicated
float on an inflatable swan, making it rain in the club,
shouting an F bomb into his money foam with bleary eyes,
a visit to Justin Bieber's house with Floyd Mayweather and friends,
and more. But the photo the Cleveland Browns found most alarming,
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a source told Northeast Ohio Media Group, was the one
in which he was rolling up a bill in the
bathroom of a bar on July seventh, twenty fourteen, that
set the alarm bells off. A disaster was brewing, perhaps
recognizing he had a serious personal and public image problem,
Johnny Manziel at last took a significant step by entering
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a rehab facility at the start of twenty fifteen. This
decision appeared to mark a turning point and was publicly
supported by the Cleveland Browns organization. Coach Mike Patton directly
expressed his support, emphasizing the priority of Johnny Manziel's personal
recovery over football. For his football to get where it
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needs to be, he needs to get the personal life
where it needs to be. Coach Petton said this takes precedence,
so however much time he needs, the football will be
there when he gets out. The move to enter rehab
was seen as an attempt by Johnny Manziel to confront
his issues head on, acknowledging the impact of his actions
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on his professional obligations and personal life. It should have
been a period of introspection and recovery, but was it.
When Johnny came out of rehab ten weeks later, the
Cleveland Browns took a cautiously optimistic stance, expressing hope for
a strong twenty fifteen season. Coach Mike Petten seemed proud
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that his young quarterback had invested effort into recovery, saying,
Johnny has worked hard and we expect him to continue
his positive trajectory. The twenty fifteen season would be a
critical test of Johnny's ability to apply what he had
learned and demonstrate that he he could be both a
reliable team member and a dynamic playmaker on the field.
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Knowing this, coach Patten eased Johnny back into play, commencing
the twenty fifteen NFL season with Johnny as the backup
quarterback to Josh McCown. This would, in the organization's view,
allow Johnny to rejoin the competitive environment of NFL play
while remaining under close watch by management who were keen
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to monitor his progress and behavior. But Johnny Manziel's recovery,
growth and new lease on a potential storybook NFL life
was sadly not destined to be. Johnny let himself down
in a new spectacular fashion by adding domestic violence to
his litany of bad behaviors. Starting in June twenty fourteen,
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Johnny Manziel had gone social media official with Colleen Crowley,
the daughter of an oil executive, a model, and a
student at Texas Christian University. Though from the outside looking in,
Johnny and Colleen seemed like a madly in love power couple,
the reality was that Colleen was privately trying to hold
Johnny together after his demotion from starting quarterback to back
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up for Josh McCown. Later, in a twenty eighteen interview
with The New York Post, Colleen said, I think there
was some mental breakdown because the way Johnny was acting.
It wasn't anything like drugs or alcohol would affect a person.
This was more deep rooted, regardless of what was driving him.
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On October twelfth, twenty fifteen, the cracks in the Johnny
Manziel and Colleen Crowley love facade became public when police
pulled them over in Avon, Ohio after multiple calls about
dangerous speeding. Dash KIM video showed Colleen trying to open
the passenger side door as the car was in motion.
As reported by CNN, Colleen Crowley told police that Johnny
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had hit her several times to prevent her from leaving
the car. However, she downplayed the incident. I don't want
to make a big deal, she said, But even though
no charges were filed, it certainly was a big deal.
The NFL promptly launched its own investigation into the incident,
and even though they determined not to discipline Johnny Manziel,
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damage had unquestionably been done to his already low bar reputation.
Confidence in Johnny's ability to be an asset rather than
a liability was now practically non existent, and even public
opinion had largely soured. In fact, Player Perspective ran an
article about Johnny football called when is It Okay to
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Be an Asshole? Questioning whether athletes who behaved like Johnny
were frankly a blight on their sport and society as
a whole. As twenty fifteen rolled over into twenty sixteen,
it became clear that Johnny was totally out of control
as another troubling series of events unfolded. On January second,
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twenty sixteen, Johnny was cited by North Olmsted, Ohio police
for driving with expired plates on the same Nissan FTR
vehicle involved in his October twenty fifteen incident. Then the
very next day, he missed a Cleveland Brown's game against
the Pittsburgh Steelers. Reports soon surfaced that Johnny Manzel had
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spent the weekend in Las Vegas. Prior to his citation
and missing the game, Johnny had hit Sinn City using
the alias Billy and dotting a disguise that included a
fake mustache and a wig. Even taking these precautions, Johnny
didn't go unnoticed, and soon his escapade was making national headlines.
This ill timed adventure, just before the Cleveland Browns final
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game of the season, left a bad taste in everyone's mouth.
I'm talking you tried to blend avocado into a juice
brad level bad taste. Wide receiver Andrew Hawkins chose his
words carefully when reflecting on his teammates wild behavior, but
the message was clear. Johnny's in his own world. The
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Cleveland Brown's management and coaching staff were getting fed up
with Johnny's world. They understandably viewed his decision to party
in Las Vegas, especially at such a critical time for
the team, as a blatant disregard for his professional responsibilities
and a direct challenge to the team's ethos and discipline expectations.
But even as they were working themselves into a lather
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trying to figure out how to cope with their increasingly
off the rails, quarterback Johnny managed to make a bad
situation worse. On January thirty, at twenty sixteen, Johnny invited
his then ex girlfriend Colleen Crowley to meet him at
Hotels Zaza in Dallas for a party. Colleen had broken
up with Johnny on December fifteenth, twenty fifteen, after months
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of intense instability, but the two had remained in contact
and it seemed that a renew union might be in
the cards. According to Cinemahalic, Colleen arrived at Hotel Zazade
around two am since she'd already been out with her friends,
but when she tried to leave after briefly catching up
with Johnny, he refused to let her go. A Fort
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Worth police report obtained by ESPN later revealed that Johnny
allegedly hit Colleen several times at the hotel. Colleen later
disclosed that one of the blows left her completely deaf
in one ear for three and a half months. Terrible
though all of that is, the meetup devolved further as
Johnny forced Colleen into a car and drove them from
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the hotel to her apartment. While speeding to Colleen's place,
Johnny allegedly maniacally threatened to kill them both He was
apparently laughing, crying, and driving simultaneously in such a deep
rooted manner that Colleen was genuinely petrified. Their altercation reached
an even more terrifying climax once they arrived at the apartment,
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where Colleen, fearing for her life, wielded a knife to
defend herself. He was just very volatile and angry and scary,
Colleen told The New York Post. He was someone I
did not know anymore. Johnny Manziel fled the scene once
Colleen picked up the knife and was later indicted on
misdemeanor assault charges with in order to stay away from
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Colleen Crowley and avoid firearms. Even for Johnny Manziel's closest
circle of supporters, this incident was the last straw. Johnny's agent,
Eric Burkardt called it quits, saying that Johnny Manziel needed
to seek further treatment. When Eric, who had done everything
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from oversea drug testing strategies to running actual pass routes
for his client's combine workout, decided to part ways, it
was a clear signal that Johnny's heyday was over. The
cumulative impact of Johnny's repeated indiscretions and the very public
nature of his assault on Colleen Crowley were too much
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for the Cleveland Browns to overlook. As well, the management
cut ties with Johnny, leaving him without a place in
the NFL. In the aftermath of his short but tumultuous
NFL career, Johnny Manziel sought ways to make a comeback
in professional football and to reshape his public image. He
ventured north to the Canadian Football League and later joined
(34:25):
the ranks of the Alliance of American Football in Canada,
he signed with the Hamilton Tigercats in May of twenty eighteen.
Since other players have moved from other leagues to the NFL,
Johnny likely hoped to do the same, but his time
in the Canadian Football League was short lived. He was
traded to the Montreal Alouettes, where he started several games
(34:47):
before his inconsistent performances and a breach of his agreement
with the league led to his termination in February twenty nineteen.
Johnny later revealed that his agreement with the Canadian Football
League required him to attend therapy and take tests that
showed he was seeking treatment for bipolar disorder. Shortly after
his exit from Canada, Johnny joined the Memphis Express of
(35:10):
the Alliance of American Football. This new league was also
seen as a potential stepping stone for his return to
the NFL. Yet the Alliance of American Football itself faced
financial difficulties and ceased operations shortly after Johnny began playing.
Following his departures from the Canadian Football League and Alliance
(35:30):
of American Football, Johnny seemed uncharacteristically self reflective. It wouldn't
have mattered where I was at, what team, wherever I
was at that point in time in my life, in
my early twenties, I was incapable of being a good
NFL quarterback, Johnny reflected. He added, when you get to
that point, and you get to that time, you're supposed
(35:52):
to know better. You're supposed to know what you're supposed
to do. You're supposed to behave like a pro. You're
supposed to to push your career forward, your athleticism forward.
You strive for being a great athlete. But when it
came down to it, I was a frat boy, and
my frat was the football team. Johnny also candidly addressed
(36:15):
deeper mental health issues that had influenced his erratic behavior.
His public revelations about being diagnosed with bipolar disorder were
highly unusual for a professional athlete. I got diagnosed as bipolar,
and I felt like it was the same as being
called an alcoholic or a drug addict, Johnny disclosed in
a heartfelt admission, highlighting the stigma and personal battles often
(36:38):
associated with mental health diagnoses. In a particularly vulnerable moment
of the Netflix documentary about his life, Johnny shared the
depth of his despair during his tumultuous NFL period. I
thought I'd spend as much money as I possibly could,
and then my plan was to take my life. Months prior,
I went and bought a gun I knew I was
(37:00):
going to use. That is a shocking admission from Johnny
Manziel and demonstrates that no one is immune to mental
health challenges, even when they're a standout athletic talent who
seems to have it all. Today, Johnny Manziel has largely
retreated from the public sports scene, focusing on personal endeavors
(37:21):
and occasional media appearances where he discusses his journey and
the lessons he's learned. He has been candid about the
role his mental health and lifestyle choice has played in
his professional struggles and expresses a continued commitment to bettering
himself outside of the public eye. His efforts and openness
about his challenges culminated in a moment of recognition when
(37:44):
he was inducted into the Texas A and M Hall
of Fame in twenty twenty two. This honor not only
acknowledged his dynamic impact on college football, but also symbolized
his ongoing journey towards personal growth and stability. Johnny man'sil
remains a figure of public interest, not just for his
past exploits and achievements on the field, but for his
(38:06):
candid discourse on mental health. His story showcases the potential
for individuals to confront their past, learn from it, and
move forward. While Johnny may no longer be tearing up
the gridiron, his ongoing journey offers a narrative of redemption.
It's always nice to close a scandal with a taste
(38:27):
of redemption. Regardless of how you feel about Johnny Manziel's
efforts to write a new chapter for himself, it's nice
to see that he's contributed to the Greater Cleveland Food
Bank and the Lebron James Family Foundation, among other charities.
In an effort to give back, I'll take a scandal
that ends on a high note every time. Come thirsty
(38:48):
and meet me back here at the Juice Barn next
week for a fresh episode of Playing Dirty Sports Scandals.
Playing Dirty Sports Scandals is a production of Dan Patrick Productions,
(39:12):
Never Ever Productions and Workhouse Media from executive producers Dan Patrick,
Paul Anderson, Nick Panella, Maya Glickman, and Jennifer Clary. Hosted
by Jay Harris, Written and produced by Jen Brown, Francie Haiks,
Maya Glickman, and Jennifer Clare.
Welcome back to playing dirty sports Scandals were I sportscaster
and scandal server Extraordinariy Jay Harris guide you through some
of sports darkest chapters. You may recall that last week
we kicked off the Johnny Manziel or should I say
Johnny Football story about an unbelievably gifted quarterback struggling to
toe the line off the GridION. Were Johnny's off field
(00:31):
antics from NCAA violation, breaches and fights to fake id's
and late night partying end his career at the college level?
Or was he destined for the NFL? I? Yes, all
the ingredients were in the mix for Johnny Football to
(00:53):
become a legend. Unparalleled athleticism check, charisma check a doring
fans check. But would he ultimately score his dream touchdown
by turning pro? Time would tell? Now. You might remember
that Johnny had been red shirted by a Texas A
and M head coach Kevin Sumler. This meant that even
(01:15):
though college sophomores typically aren't eligible for the NFL draft,
Johnny was since he was in his third academic year
remember his first technical year. As in Aggie had been
taking classes and training with the team his second year
had been his freshman football debut, and so by his
sophomore year, Johnny had completed sufficient college for the showpiece event,
(01:39):
the NFL Draft. But even though Johnny Manziel could be
drafted under eligibility rules, there were some who didn't believe
he should head to the NFL, at least not yet.
First and foremost, Johnny's parents seemed to be concerned about
their erratic son turning pro in the midst of his
slew of public flare ups, even though they knew that
(02:01):
if Johnny did go to the NFL, he would likely
gain millions of dollars in sponsorships out the gate. According
to the Bleacher Report, after winning the twenty twelve Heisman Trophy,
Johnny Manziel estimated that he would have been worth probably
ten million dollars in NIL endorsements after his red shirt
sophomore season, and could have collected five million through his
(02:22):
social media channels alone. The fact that Johnny's financial prospects
were so strong in this moment underscore at least some
of the probable logic behind his father's next move. Paul
Manziel met with Texas A and M head coach Kevin
Sumlin and tried to cut a deal for Johnny to
(02:42):
see his college education through. Johnny himself recounted what apparently
went down on Shannon Sharp's Club Shay Shape podcast, saying
it was the spring of twenty fourteen, or maybe December
twenty thirteen, right in there about December or January, and
I'm getting ready to make this say on if I'm
going to the NFL Draft or if I'm going to
(03:03):
stay at Texas A and M. I didn't find this
out until five years later from my dad. But my
dad went and had a meeting with Kevin Sumlet and
pretty much went to him manned man and was like,
we'll take three million dollars and he'll stay for the
next two years. Interesting, huh. Now, this practice wasn't unique
to the Manziell family. These types of transactions were part
(03:25):
of a long standing tradition in collegiate sports, reflecting the
secretive yet widespread practice of under the table deals before
the era of name, image and likeness agreements. But it
was noteworthy that Johnny Manziel's dad tried to cut a
pay to play deal with A and M that would
have almost certainly been far less than his son's earnings
(03:47):
in the NFL. We can only speculate on Paul Manziel's motivations, but,
as most parents would agree, keeping your kid out of
trouble is priceless, and maybe, just maybe Paul Aul Manziel
believed that giving Johnny more time to mature before turning
pro would ultimately pay off in spades. But as the
(04:07):
saying goes, the devil fools with the best laid plans,
and Paul Manziel's attempt was quickly thwarted when coach Kevin
Sumlin and Texas A and M did not agree to
cutting the discreete deal. Given that the college's donations had
more than doubled due to Johnny's playing, it's actually remarkable
(04:28):
that the school turned down the offer to keep him
for two more years for just three million dollars. Perhaps
A and M was unique in its institutional commitment to
not playing dirty, or perhaps the administration had a feeling
that Johnny football was about to go off the rails
and become a liability. In any event, Rumor has it
that coach Sumlin laughed at Paul Manziel's proposal and no
(04:50):
money changed hands, So Johnny Manziel riding high as one
of college football's biggest breakout stars was headed for the
NFL Draft. You probably think that's the sound of a
drink being excitedly poured, but you'd be wrong. That's the
sound that almost unraveled Johnny Manziel's NFL career before it
(05:13):
had even begun. A positive drug test. Nobody could believe it.
In Netflix's documentary Untold Johnny Football, Johnny Manziel's agent, Eric
Burkhardt recalls how flummoxed he was that his client had
risked flushing away his draft chances. According to Eric, there
(05:33):
had been a rigorous drug testing regimen set up, especially
to ensure that Johnny was clean at this pivotal moment.
I knew Johnny's habits would be an issue, so I
wanted proof he was drug free, the frustrated agent explained.
But somehow, despite the tight structure put in place to
support Johnny's success, a week before the scouting combine, he lapsed.
(05:58):
Johnny attended a party in Hollywood, and the next morning
it became clear to him and everyone on his team
that he partied far too hard. Fearing that a positive
drug test on the day of the combine could plummet
his draft stock from a potential first round pick to
possibly going undrafted altogether. Eric advised Johnny to skip the combine.
(06:19):
Did Johnny listen though, Well, at this point I think
you know the answer to that. Johnny was determined to
attend the scouting combine and so backed into an impossible position.
Eric put on his agent problem solving hat and devised
a plan. And not just any plan. It was an
(06:40):
absolute shocker. I called Johnny's parents, Paula Michelle, Eric admitted
in the Netflix documentary years later. I said, you're checking
yourself into the hospital, Paul with a heavy heart, so
that Johnny can divert and come to the combine for
twelve hours so that it doesn't look weird. We'll put
him on a place to go see dad in the hospital.
(07:02):
But this scheme was rejected by Johnny when he caught
wind of it, and the troublesome quarterback took the situation
into his own hands. According to Eric, Johnny came to
him and said, I've been passing these tests at A
and M for a while, and then he revealed, in
a shocking confession of cheating, that it had actually been
the Aggie's fourth string quarterback, providing clean urine samples for him.
(07:25):
All along. Johnny had also picked up another trick that
he could chug water and flush the toxins from his system.
Since he could hardly take the fourth string Aggie's quarterback
to the scouting combine without raising eyebrows, Johnny went for
his ladder strategy. He crushed liquids and continued taking drug
tests in Eric Burkhardt's room until the results were satisfactory
(07:48):
to them. Both. Against all the odds, Johnny Manziel performed
well at the NFL scouting combine, but there was the
constant churn of self inflicted challenge around Johnny Manziel by
this time, and so it was sadly no surprise to
anyone that the relief of getting through the scouting combine
(08:12):
was short lived. Eric Burkhardt, who frankly sounds like the
most committed agent going, had arranged a private workout for
his client with the Cleveland Browns coaches at Texas A
and M's indoor facility to give Johnny a chance to
flex his skills for the pros. But was Johnny appreciative
of his agent's efforts. Nope. Imagine the morning when it
(08:34):
was time for the private workout, and the receiver's schedule
to work with Johnny Manziel were no shows. Why because
the dinner in College Station with the Cleveland Browns executives
the night before had gotten out of hand, with Johnny
himself at the heart of the celebrations. By the time
everyone was due to meet up for the private practice
(08:55):
the next morning, one receiver was missing and another one
was so drunk he could get up. Johnny, who was
used to playing after partying, did show up, but his
opportunity to demonstrate his abilities with the Cleveland Browns coaches
was scuppered. It was Easter weekend, so literally nobody was
on campus, and the workout was at A and m's
(09:16):
indoor facility. In the previous night's haze, somehow, Johnny also
lost his bag. Eric Burkhardt tweeted later detailing the chaos
of the day. Without cleats or proper attire, Johnny and
his support team faced an almost comical predicament. Keep in mind,
we had just negotiated the largest shoe deal ever in
(09:38):
the history of the NFL pre draft with Nike. Eric
at it, emphasizing the irony of the situation. We had
a whole Johnny football line with royalties, etc. And still
couldn't manage to get dressed properly. With the workout looming
at eight am, two Aggie receivers as no shows thanks
(09:58):
to their night out with Johnny and no possibility to
buy new gear in time, desperation led to drastic measures.
The equipment staff and coaches were out of town for
Eastern so we literally had to break into the equipment
cage at A and M with like a tire iron.
Eric revealed. Then Johnny ended up wearing oversized Adidas cleats
(10:20):
and tiny A and M shorts that he had worn
under his genes the night before as Eric and Johnny's
attorney stood in for the missing NFL receivers. This frenzied
situation at yet another future determining event perfectly encapsulated the
unpredictable and often have hazard nature of Johnny Manzel's journey
(10:41):
to the NFL, characterized by his immense talent on the
field and his equally immense challenges off it. The private session,
although far from conventional, was viewed by the Cleveland Browns
executives and highlighted the links to which his team would
go to keep his professional dreams on track in spite
of Johnny himself. As the date of the NFL Draft
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drew ever nearer, the spotlight on Johnny Manziel grew increasingly intense.
His every move was scrutinized not just by the media
now but by potential NFL teams. In twenty fourteen, with
the Houston Texans holding the coveted first overall pick, speculations
surged around whether Johnny Manziel could be selected to continue
(11:27):
his football career in his home state of Texas. His
lone star fans certainly wanted to keep him around. In fact,
one Influentio Texas Han m fan even commissioned a billboard
in the Houston area encouraging the Houston Texans said draft
Johnny with the first pick. The billboard read keep Johnny
football in Texas, and initially it seemed as though the
(11:51):
fans would have their way. Interactions between Johnny Manziel and
the Houston Texans began positively. Johnny was pulling out all
all the stops to make a good impression with his
top pick. He even participated in an uncharacteristically drama free
manner at a major charity event at the river Oaks
Country Club in Houston. The Texans owner, Bob McNair and
(12:15):
his wife Janis were likely impressed to see Johnny contributing
his own money to the charity. In the words of
Johnny's agent, Eric, the event was a phenomenal success. But
in typical Johnny Manziel fashion, this momentum in the right
direction came to an abrupt halt the very next day
when he exercised grossly inappropriate behavior on the river Oaks
(12:39):
country Club golf course. Johnny recounted receiving the call that
would significantly dampen Johnny's prospects with the Texans. The next day,
I get a call, Eric's shared in the Netflix documentary.
They said Johnny was golfing today at river Oaks Country Club,
and it got back to the owner's family that Johnny
by whole five, taking his shirt off, looked intoxicated and
(13:03):
broke multiple clubs over his knee and threw them in
the pond. There goes Houston, is what I thought. Johnny's
long suffering agent sure had his work cut out for him.
The dream of Johnny Manziel being drafted first overall by
the Houston Texans was over. The franchise's owner, Bob McNair
(13:25):
explained to ESPN exactly why he decided to pass on Johnny, saying,
I knew with Manziel that would be a frenzy long term.
We had questions as to how well he'd fit in
our system doing what we wanted to do, and so
with Houston now definitely off the table, Johnny and Eric
turned their attention to other options. What other NFL teams
(13:47):
needed a quarterback refresh and how could they best set
the stage for a now uncertain draft day strategy dictated
that the Jacksonville Jaguars and the Cleveland Browns would be
for picking up Johnny. These teams held the third and
fourth overall picks, respectively, and both franchises were in desperate
(14:07):
need of a quarterback to revitalize their squads. Additionally, the
Oakland Raiders with the fifth pick, and the Minnesota Vikings,
who held the eighth pick, were also in the mix.
The air was thick with speculation, with fans and analysts
making predictions and placing bets on where Johnny Football might land,
But as the draft kicked off, it quickly became clear
(14:30):
that the concerns about Johnny's off field behavior and uncertainty
about his transition to the NFL was causing his stock
to slip. One by one. Teams passed on the opportunity
to draft him, opting instead for players with less risk attached.
The tension in the draft room was palpable as the
picks ticked by, with Johnny's name conspicuously unmentioned. The weight
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stretched on for over three hours. It was an agon
period for Johnny Manzil, who had entered the draft with
hopes of a top pick. Finally, a pivotal moment came
that would change the course of the evening. Cleveland Brown's
quarterbacks coach Dowell Loggins later revealed after the draft in
a radio interview on Sports Talk with Bo Mattingly that
(15:19):
a message came to him directly from Johnny and made
all the difference. As Johnny saw himself sliding down the
draft board, he texted coach Dowell Loggins, I wish you
guys would come get me. Hurry up and draft me,
because I want to wreck this league together. This message,
infused with Johnny's characteristic boldness and desire to make an impact,
(15:44):
resonated strongly. Coach Loggins, moved by Johnny's enthusiasm, quickly forwarded
the message to the rest of the Cleveland Browns staff
and administration. When I got that text, I forwarded to
the owner, Jimmy Haslam, and to the head coach, Mike Petton.
I'm like, this guy wants to be here, he wants
to be part of it. As soon as that happened,
(16:06):
mister Haslam said, pull the trigger. We're trading up to
get this guy, And just like that, Johnny Manziel had
once again put himself back in play. The Cleveland Browns,
a team that had historically struggled with quarterback stability, saw
in Johnny Manziel not just a talented player, but that
(16:26):
spark of potential brilliance that could turn their fortune around.
After all, the Cleveland Browns were one of only four
teams never to appear in a Super Bowl, a drought
of decades. Driven by Johnny Manziel's eagerness and maybe their
own desperation, the Browns moved up four spots to select
Johnny at number twenty two, deciding to take the plunge
(16:48):
and bring into their fold the player who promised to
quote wreck the league. The immediate impact of Johnny Manziel's
selection was nothing short of explosive. Within just twenty five
minutes of announcing his draft, the Cleveland Browns had sold
two hundred new season tickets and seen an additional three
hundred renewals. The excitement was palpable, as the team vice
(17:12):
president shared that the phones were ringing off the hook,
signaling a surge of renewed interest and optimism among the
Cleveland Browns fan base. Meanwhile, the buzz spread to social media,
where another Browns executive posted a photo of the newly
minted Johnny Manzil jerseys now available at the team shop,
ready for eager fans looking to don the number of
(17:34):
their new quarterback. This whirlwind of activity underscored the high
hopes and high stakes accompanying Johnny's arrival in Cleveland. Given
his history, this high level of pressure on Johnny was
never likely to end well. Okay, get hydrated and brace yourself,
because we're about to take a wild ride on Johnny
(17:56):
Manziel's roller coaster NFL career enter the league with a
chip on his shoulder and an on field reputation to
defend the long wait on draft day and slide to
the twenty second overall pick. Had been humbling for Johnny,
who was accustomed to fanfare and adulation from his college
station fans at Texas A and M. In fact, Johnny
(18:18):
told the press that he would remember the teams that
did not pick him. I'm going to take a very
aggressive mindset into it, Johnny said. I'm going to work
extremely hard to get what I want, and I know
what that is. I want to win and I want
to be successful. The amount of time I put in
and the heart I put into this, which I know
(18:38):
I'm capable of doing, will tell the tale. But can
a tiger ever really change its stripes? Johnny's bumpy draft
experience had set the tone for his NFL career. Things
were off to a rocky start, and the drama was
just beginning. As Johnny suited up in brown and orange
for Cleveland, the excitement and optimism that heralded his arrival
(19:02):
soon gave way to the stark realities of NFL life.
His time with the Cleveland Browns was characterized by a
series of ups and downs that mirrored his tumultuous tenure
at Texas A and M. Initially, the franchise and its
fans hoped that Johnny's dynamic abilities could translate into a
revitalizing force for a team in desperate need of a turnaround,
(19:25):
but not all college stars translate to knockout professional athletes,
and Johnny's rookie season was a mixture of brief flashes
of potential coupled with struggles both on and off the field.
Within months of his NFL debut, Johnny was fined twelve
thousand dollars by the NFL for giving the middle finger
to the Washington Redskins bench during a preseason game. But
(19:49):
perhaps more worrying for the Cleveland Browns was that Johnny's
improvisational playing style, while electrifying in college, faced different hurdles
in the structured environment of professional football, and their new
recruit wasn't putting in the work required to level up
his skills. Several sources within the team indicated that Johnny
(20:11):
Manziel struggled with the basics of play calling. On multiple occasions,
he seemed not to know the plays in the huddle
or didn't call them correctly, raising concerns about his grasp
of the playbook. Johnny's off the cuff playing style was
simply not working in the NFL, and despite Johnny's pledge
to do everything he could to succeed. It was soon
(20:33):
clear that these were empty words. After all, the bare
minimum for a quarterback in the NFL is to learn
the playbook. Don't you think one of the responsibilities of
NFL players is to tackle a fundamental aspect of professional
football film study. Film study in football is a crucial
(20:55):
practice that allows players and coaches to gain a competitive
edge in game. Footage helps players to understand opponents tendencies,
recognize formations, and anticipate plays. It's absolutely necessary for professional
players to engage in this minimum requirement. Yet, in a
(21:15):
revealing insight from the Netflix documentary about Johnny's career, his
agent Eric Burkhardt, disclosed it while in Cleveland, Johnny never studied.
I mean he never watched tape ever. Not a game,
not a play, not a second nothing. By comparison, some
of the greatest NFL quarterbacks of all time, players like
(21:37):
Tom Brady, Peyton Manning, and Patrick Mahomes, are renowned for
their ferocious film study habits. Johnny's utter lack of effort
drove the Cleveland Browns management to intervene. The GM called
me and said, he's not watching tape. Eric recounted. When
Eric pressed the GM for more details, asking if Johnny
had even spent a minimal amount of time on this
(21:59):
crucial task, the reply was stark. Eric, the GM said,
his iPad hours is zero point zero zero. How was
super Agent Eric supposed to mitigate the fallout from this
latest bombshell? He could hardly contest the Cleveland Brown's report.
After all, the team had provided Johnny with an iPad
(22:20):
loaded with game film, which also allowed coaches to track
his engagement. The tool didn't lie, and so backed into
a corner. Neither did Johnny. When asked directly about the
time he spent on film study, Johnny simply stated zero.
Only thirty two individuals in the world earned starting quarterback
(22:40):
positions each week. How infuriating to hear from one of
those talented, immensely lucky few that maintaining such a big
dream wasn't worth even a small effort. But we've all
heard the saying you get out what you put in,
and Johnny Manziel was in for a rude awakening. Johnny's
(23:01):
twenty fourteen NFL season with the Cleveland Browns was lackluster.
He played in five games, started in two and clearly
struggled with the professional level of play. He completed eighteen
of thirty five passes for a total of one hundred
and seventy five yards, threw no touchdowns, and was intercepted twice. Additionally,
(23:21):
he was sacked three times and rushed for a total
of just twenty nine yards or nine attempts ouch. His
performance was definitely not living up to the spectacle of
the Aggies legendary Johnny football. In fact, another Cleveland Browns
player anonymously told ESPN that Johnny's entire twenty fourteen season
was one hundred percent joke. This blood assessment echoed broader
(23:46):
concerns within the Cleveland Browns organization about Johnny Manziel's technical
readiness for a professional football and Johnny's off field behavior
was once again only adding to the franchise's concerns. As
Sports Business journal reporter John Oran put it to NPR
reporter David Green, Johnny Manziel has been photographed partying everywhere
(24:10):
from Las Vegas to bartending at a nightclub in Austin, Texas.
If you play on an NFL team, people want you
to play inside the lines. They don't like anybody that's
a swashbuckler that does anything that could potentially be a distraction.
Johnny Manziel was both distracted and a distraction. Cleveland dot
(24:32):
Com captured the essence of Johnny Manziel's behavior at this time.
Writing at the NFL Rookie Symposium in Los Angeles in May,
just weeks after the draft, Johnny Manziel crawled under a
skirted table and took a nap during an autograph session
with potential sponsors after a night out with Rapper Drake
and friends. From there, the Progressive Party traveled to Las Vegas, Austin, Texas,
(24:57):
and back to Los Angeles. It included Johnny's infamous intoxicated
float on an inflatable swan, making it rain in the club,
shouting an F bomb into his money foam with bleary eyes,
a visit to Justin Bieber's house with Floyd Mayweather and friends,
and more. But the photo the Cleveland Browns found most alarming,
(25:17):
a source told Northeast Ohio Media Group, was the one
in which he was rolling up a bill in the
bathroom of a bar on July seventh, twenty fourteen, that
set the alarm bells off. A disaster was brewing, perhaps
recognizing he had a serious personal and public image problem,
Johnny Manziel at last took a significant step by entering
(25:40):
a rehab facility at the start of twenty fifteen. This
decision appeared to mark a turning point and was publicly
supported by the Cleveland Browns organization. Coach Mike Patton directly
expressed his support, emphasizing the priority of Johnny Manziel's personal
recovery over football. For his football to get where it
(26:01):
needs to be, he needs to get the personal life
where it needs to be. Coach Petton said this takes precedence,
so however much time he needs, the football will be
there when he gets out. The move to enter rehab
was seen as an attempt by Johnny Manziel to confront
his issues head on, acknowledging the impact of his actions
(26:21):
on his professional obligations and personal life. It should have
been a period of introspection and recovery, but was it.
When Johnny came out of rehab ten weeks later, the
Cleveland Browns took a cautiously optimistic stance, expressing hope for
a strong twenty fifteen season. Coach Mike Petten seemed proud
(26:45):
that his young quarterback had invested effort into recovery, saying,
Johnny has worked hard and we expect him to continue
his positive trajectory. The twenty fifteen season would be a
critical test of Johnny's ability to apply what he had
learned and demonstrate that he he could be both a
reliable team member and a dynamic playmaker on the field.
(27:05):
Knowing this, coach Patten eased Johnny back into play, commencing
the twenty fifteen NFL season with Johnny as the backup
quarterback to Josh McCown. This would, in the organization's view,
allow Johnny to rejoin the competitive environment of NFL play
while remaining under close watch by management who were keen
(27:26):
to monitor his progress and behavior. But Johnny Manziel's recovery,
growth and new lease on a potential storybook NFL life
was sadly not destined to be. Johnny let himself down
in a new spectacular fashion by adding domestic violence to
his litany of bad behaviors. Starting in June twenty fourteen,
(27:50):
Johnny Manziel had gone social media official with Colleen Crowley,
the daughter of an oil executive, a model, and a
student at Texas Christian University. Though from the outside looking in,
Johnny and Colleen seemed like a madly in love power couple,
the reality was that Colleen was privately trying to hold
Johnny together after his demotion from starting quarterback to back
(28:13):
up for Josh McCown. Later, in a twenty eighteen interview
with The New York Post, Colleen said, I think there
was some mental breakdown because the way Johnny was acting.
It wasn't anything like drugs or alcohol would affect a person.
This was more deep rooted, regardless of what was driving him.
(28:34):
On October twelfth, twenty fifteen, the cracks in the Johnny
Manziel and Colleen Crowley love facade became public when police
pulled them over in Avon, Ohio after multiple calls about
dangerous speeding. Dash KIM video showed Colleen trying to open
the passenger side door as the car was in motion.
As reported by CNN, Colleen Crowley told police that Johnny
(28:57):
had hit her several times to prevent her from leaving
the car. However, she downplayed the incident. I don't want
to make a big deal, she said, But even though
no charges were filed, it certainly was a big deal.
The NFL promptly launched its own investigation into the incident,
and even though they determined not to discipline Johnny Manziel,
(29:20):
damage had unquestionably been done to his already low bar reputation.
Confidence in Johnny's ability to be an asset rather than
a liability was now practically non existent, and even public
opinion had largely soured. In fact, Player Perspective ran an
article about Johnny football called when is It Okay to
(29:41):
Be an Asshole? Questioning whether athletes who behaved like Johnny
were frankly a blight on their sport and society as
a whole. As twenty fifteen rolled over into twenty sixteen,
it became clear that Johnny was totally out of control
as another troubling series of events unfolded. On January second,
(30:02):
twenty sixteen, Johnny was cited by North Olmsted, Ohio police
for driving with expired plates on the same Nissan FTR
vehicle involved in his October twenty fifteen incident. Then the
very next day, he missed a Cleveland Brown's game against
the Pittsburgh Steelers. Reports soon surfaced that Johnny Manzel had
(30:23):
spent the weekend in Las Vegas. Prior to his citation
and missing the game, Johnny had hit Sinn City using
the alias Billy and dotting a disguise that included a
fake mustache and a wig. Even taking these precautions, Johnny
didn't go unnoticed, and soon his escapade was making national headlines.
This ill timed adventure, just before the Cleveland Browns final
(30:46):
game of the season, left a bad taste in everyone's mouth.
I'm talking you tried to blend avocado into a juice
brad level bad taste. Wide receiver Andrew Hawkins chose his
words carefully when reflecting on his teammates wild behavior, but
the message was clear. Johnny's in his own world. The
(31:10):
Cleveland Brown's management and coaching staff were getting fed up
with Johnny's world. They understandably viewed his decision to party
in Las Vegas, especially at such a critical time for
the team, as a blatant disregard for his professional responsibilities
and a direct challenge to the team's ethos and discipline expectations.
But even as they were working themselves into a lather
(31:32):
trying to figure out how to cope with their increasingly
off the rails, quarterback Johnny managed to make a bad
situation worse. On January thirty, at twenty sixteen, Johnny invited
his then ex girlfriend Colleen Crowley to meet him at
Hotels Zaza in Dallas for a party. Colleen had broken
up with Johnny on December fifteenth, twenty fifteen, after months
(31:54):
of intense instability, but the two had remained in contact
and it seemed that a renew union might be in
the cards. According to Cinemahalic, Colleen arrived at Hotel Zazade
around two am since she'd already been out with her friends,
but when she tried to leave after briefly catching up
with Johnny, he refused to let her go. A Fort
(32:15):
Worth police report obtained by ESPN later revealed that Johnny
allegedly hit Colleen several times at the hotel. Colleen later
disclosed that one of the blows left her completely deaf
in one ear for three and a half months. Terrible
though all of that is, the meetup devolved further as
Johnny forced Colleen into a car and drove them from
(32:38):
the hotel to her apartment. While speeding to Colleen's place,
Johnny allegedly maniacally threatened to kill them both He was
apparently laughing, crying, and driving simultaneously in such a deep
rooted manner that Colleen was genuinely petrified. Their altercation reached
an even more terrifying climax once they arrived at the apartment,
(33:00):
where Colleen, fearing for her life, wielded a knife to
defend herself. He was just very volatile and angry and scary,
Colleen told The New York Post. He was someone I
did not know anymore. Johnny Manziel fled the scene once
Colleen picked up the knife and was later indicted on
misdemeanor assault charges with in order to stay away from
(33:22):
Colleen Crowley and avoid firearms. Even for Johnny Manziel's closest
circle of supporters, this incident was the last straw. Johnny's agent,
Eric Burkardt called it quits, saying that Johnny Manziel needed
to seek further treatment. When Eric, who had done everything
(33:43):
from oversea drug testing strategies to running actual pass routes
for his client's combine workout, decided to part ways, it
was a clear signal that Johnny's heyday was over. The
cumulative impact of Johnny's repeated indiscretions and the very public
nature of his assault on Colleen Crowley were too much
(34:03):
for the Cleveland Browns to overlook. As well, the management
cut ties with Johnny, leaving him without a place in
the NFL. In the aftermath of his short but tumultuous
NFL career, Johnny Manziel sought ways to make a comeback
in professional football and to reshape his public image. He
ventured north to the Canadian Football League and later joined
(34:25):
the ranks of the Alliance of American Football in Canada,
he signed with the Hamilton Tigercats in May of twenty eighteen.
Since other players have moved from other leagues to the NFL,
Johnny likely hoped to do the same, but his time
in the Canadian Football League was short lived. He was
traded to the Montreal Alouettes, where he started several games
(34:47):
before his inconsistent performances and a breach of his agreement
with the league led to his termination in February twenty nineteen.
Johnny later revealed that his agreement with the Canadian Football
League required him to attend therapy and take tests that
showed he was seeking treatment for bipolar disorder. Shortly after
his exit from Canada, Johnny joined the Memphis Express of
(35:10):
the Alliance of American Football. This new league was also
seen as a potential stepping stone for his return to
the NFL. Yet the Alliance of American Football itself faced
financial difficulties and ceased operations shortly after Johnny began playing.
Following his departures from the Canadian Football League and Alliance
(35:30):
of American Football, Johnny seemed uncharacteristically self reflective. It wouldn't
have mattered where I was at, what team, wherever I
was at that point in time in my life, in
my early twenties, I was incapable of being a good
NFL quarterback, Johnny reflected. He added, when you get to
that point, and you get to that time, you're supposed
(35:52):
to know better. You're supposed to know what you're supposed
to do. You're supposed to behave like a pro. You're
supposed to to push your career forward, your athleticism forward.
You strive for being a great athlete. But when it
came down to it, I was a frat boy, and
my frat was the football team. Johnny also candidly addressed
(36:15):
deeper mental health issues that had influenced his erratic behavior.
His public revelations about being diagnosed with bipolar disorder were
highly unusual for a professional athlete. I got diagnosed as bipolar,
and I felt like it was the same as being
called an alcoholic or a drug addict, Johnny disclosed in
a heartfelt admission, highlighting the stigma and personal battles often
(36:38):
associated with mental health diagnoses. In a particularly vulnerable moment
of the Netflix documentary about his life, Johnny shared the
depth of his despair during his tumultuous NFL period. I
thought I'd spend as much money as I possibly could,
and then my plan was to take my life. Months prior,
I went and bought a gun I knew I was
(37:00):
going to use. That is a shocking admission from Johnny
Manziel and demonstrates that no one is immune to mental
health challenges, even when they're a standout athletic talent who
seems to have it all. Today, Johnny Manziel has largely
retreated from the public sports scene, focusing on personal endeavors
(37:21):
and occasional media appearances where he discusses his journey and
the lessons he's learned. He has been candid about the
role his mental health and lifestyle choice has played in
his professional struggles and expresses a continued commitment to bettering
himself outside of the public eye. His efforts and openness
about his challenges culminated in a moment of recognition when
(37:44):
he was inducted into the Texas A and M Hall
of Fame in twenty twenty two. This honor not only
acknowledged his dynamic impact on college football, but also symbolized
his ongoing journey towards personal growth and stability. Johnny man'sil
remains a figure of public interest, not just for his
past exploits and achievements on the field, but for his
(38:06):
candid discourse on mental health. His story showcases the potential
for individuals to confront their past, learn from it, and
move forward. While Johnny may no longer be tearing up
the gridiron, his ongoing journey offers a narrative of redemption.
It's always nice to close a scandal with a taste
(38:27):
of redemption. Regardless of how you feel about Johnny Manziel's
efforts to write a new chapter for himself, it's nice
to see that he's contributed to the Greater Cleveland Food
Bank and the Lebron James Family Foundation, among other charities.
In an effort to give back, I'll take a scandal
that ends on a high note every time. Come thirsty
(38:48):
and meet me back here at the Juice Barn next
week for a fresh episode of Playing Dirty Sports Scandals.
Playing Dirty Sports Scandals is a production of Dan Patrick Productions,
(39:12):
Never Ever Productions and Workhouse Media from executive producers Dan Patrick,
Paul Anderson, Nick Panella, Maya Glickman, and Jennifer Clary. Hosted
by Jay Harris, Written and produced by Jen Brown, Francie Haiks,
Maya Glickman, and Jennifer Clare.
Host
Jay Harris
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