Are we witnessing the beginning of Johnny Manziel’s redemption story?
History suggests we should be skeptical of his newfound optimism, as the former Cleveland Browns quarterback has an infamous track record when it comes to keeping his nose clean. But Manziel at least sounds like he’s on the right path, and it appears he’s not ready to put football behind him.
Manziel, who admitted to being a “douche” in 2016 during a series of tweets Thursday, reiterated to ESPN on Friday that he’s achieved sobriety without professional assistance and that he’s determined to resume his NFL career.
“I refuse to let my entire life of sports from the age of 4 be squandered by partying. I just got sick of it,” Manziel wrote in a message to ESPN’s Ed Werder. “One day I didn’t like what I saw in the mirror and realized I could really help people in the position I’m in.
“I love sports, I love football and when you take something away from yourself you realize it the hard way. The happiness from doing it sober has been ASTRONOMICAL. Beyond my wildest imagination and once that continued other good things started happening in my life and it just clicked.”
Manziel missed the entire 2016 season after being released by the Browns, who drafted him in the first round (22nd overall) in 2014. He’s gone through some rough patches related to drug and alcohol abuse, and he even was accused of hitting and threatening his ex-girlfriend during a night out last year.
If you’ve written off Manziel, who could blame you? He was a superstar at Texas A&M, winning the Heisman Trophy in 2012, but he’s done nothing but waste his talent since entering the NFL. The 24-year-old still has high aspirations, though. Now, it’s a matter of finding an organization willing to give him another chance.
When asked his immediate goal, Manziel wrote to Werder: “PLAY FOOTBALL. A pre season game, anything I don’t care what it is. Only need one team to believe in me and I’ll do anything to make that a possibility.”
Manziel is scheduled to be in Houston for Super Bowl LI, so maybe he can do a little networking while he’s there.
Thumbnail photo via Andrew Weber/USA TODAY Sports Images
