It’s official! Johnny Manziel is joining the AAF to play for the Memphis Express. A few weeks ago I talked about why the AAF should sign Johnny Manziel and this episode explores why this is great for the upstart league. Either way this is big for the league.
johnny football
Breaking: Johnny Manziel barred from the CFL
Johnny Manziel has not only been released in the CFL but barred by the league. The 22nd overall pick in the 2014 NFL Draft has not played in the NFL since 2015 and has been known for his issues off the field. However, should the AAF give him a shot? I break down why it would be a low risk potential high reward situation for the AAF to bring in Manziel.
Why Johnny Maziel Pick Will Haunt Cleveland Browns
He has been a target for criticism over the past few years.
Savior? More like a nightmare in Cleveland
The persona that Johnny Manziel, or should I say Johnny Football has created over his college and early NFL career is incredible. It’s MTV meets Rudy with a pinch of fantasy. In terms of his presence in the media Johnny Manziel has been a complete success. It’s rare to see any sports outlet not talking about this lightning rod from Texas. In short, Johnny Manziel is Tim Tebow 2.0. Better player, same unnecessary attention.
However, Manziel is something different for Cleveland Browns fans. A symbol of hope.
In a franchise that has been built on futility and despair for almost 60 years, Manziel is a beacon of hope that the franchise has gone all in on. Unfortunately, this will be the biggest disappointment for the Browns since the original franchise moved to Baltimore in 1995.
What you say? How can you say that? It’s only been a preseason. Sorry Browns fans this is not the savior. Don’t get me wrong, I think Johnny can play in this league, he’s just not a player a franchise can be built solely around. If anything Manziel will be like a young Michael Vick. A player who on the highlight real will show off a great deep ball or a 50 yard scramble for a 30 second highlight. But he will never be a consistent quarterback in the NFL. One week he will light it up while the next week he will throw three interceptions. Great quarterback on Sports Center, not in a four quarter NFL game.
Why am I so sure, just look at this past few weeks. This preseason Manziel couldn’t even beat out journeyman Brian Hoyer for the starting job. Why? a 50 % completion rate magnified with errant throws against vanilla second teams defenses is not a good sign. Looking around the league it seems like every other rookie signal caller including ones that the Browns could have selected have outperformed Johnny.
Blake Bortles has played well enough to earn the starting job in Jacksonville, but ore importantly the quarterbacks on the board when the Browns were picking have looked much better. Derek Carr will start in Oakland and has shown off a big arm and the ability to move the football around the field. Teddy Bridgewater has shown that while he may need a little more time to develop could be a solid game manager and starter right now. Even late draft pick Zach Mettenberger has shown flashes in the preseason. Johnny? After a decent showing in the first preseason, the usually loud Manziel was rather quite over the next three weeks.
The other cause for concern? Did you see Texas A&M against South Carolina? Originally people thought that Johnny Manziel made coach Kevin Sumlin. Now we’ve learned it’s the other way around. In Sumlin’s offense sophomore quarterback Kenny Hill played his first SEC game on the road against No. 9 South Carolina. In his first game Hill light up the scoreboard with 511 passing yards and broke all of Johnny’s individual game records in his first start. Looks like Sumlin knows how to coach offense.
Sorry Cleveland, on the bright side Lebron James is back, but if you expect Johnny Manziel to be the football savior for the Browns, prepare for only more heartbreak.
From Johnny Football to Johnny scandal
Manziel’s off the field antics could derail both his college and pro career
Johnny “Football” Manziel has become the most talked about player in college football since Tim Tebow. However, unlike his fellow Heisman winner, Mr. Football hasn’t exactly been a choir boy. On the field, Manziel is a daredevil whose risky playing style makes him the most exciting offensive player in college football. It’s that same daredevil attitude that has gotten him in trouble off the field. An arrest, twitter wars, flashing stacks of cash, and leaving the Manning football camp early are just the tip of the Manziel iceberg. A few weeks ago Manziel went A&M’s rival Texas for a frat party and was kicked out. First, he’s drinking underage, and second what in god’s name was he thinking? A frat party at your arch rivals school? Johnny are you trying to get in trouble and piss off everyone at college station? Now Johnny football is caught in an autograph scandal where he accepted money for his “John Hancock”. With a suspension possibly looming, Manziel is at a crossroads where he either needs to grow up, or face the consequences for his poor decisions. Think about it. If this suspension costs Texas A&M a chance at a National Title, then he has let his fellow Aggies down. You look at quarterbacks like Tim Tebow
Could Johnny’s antics cost him in the NFL Draft?
and Matt Barkley who were also in the national spotlight, but understood they had responsibilities and had to make good decisions. Do I think Manziel is a bad guy? Not necessarily, but he has to realize that his decisions don’t just affect him, but everyone in College Station and beyond. If Manziel doesn’t care about his fellow Aggies maybe he’ll care about his NFL future. While many scouts compare Manziel to Sea Hawks quarterback Russel Wilson, they are polar opposites. Wilson is a professional, while Manziel is the out of control renegade. With all of the offseason incidents and the looming possibility of a suspension, NFL teams will probably have Manziel sliding down their draft boards. He already has question about whether he can make it in the NFL, but when your bringing baggage it makes teams say thanks but no thanks. Hey if Manziel can’t control his off the field urges, how can a franchise expect him to lead an offense of ten grown men whose lively hood is on the line. Maybe this will be the wakeup call Manziel needs to realize that while he has all the talent in the world, he needs to learn to make better decisions. The so-called “lightning rod” needs to be quiet and just do his job. Johnny I understand that you’re in college and that you want to have fun. Heck everyone’s entitled to their fun, but you are the reigning Heisman winner. When you enter that hallowed group there is a responsibility to represent that award and club in a positive way. Johnny can’t be a kid forever, and if he wants to be a top pick in next year’s draft he needs to prove to the world that he has matured and he’s not the spoiled kid that has dominated the headlines for this summer. Look, Manziel is trying to be a celebrity based upon his influence in media. Johnny, it’s ok to be a celebrity but only after you have established yourself. It may be great now but will it be worth it if in five years your out of football and on some terrible VH1 reality show? Even with a suspension, all eyes will be watching College Station to see what Johnny Manziel will do next. Will he break off a spectacular highlight reel play, or do something crazy we didn’t see coming? One thing is certain, this is going to be one entertaining fall following Johnny Football.
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