Johnny Manziel is the best player in Texas A&M football’s history, but never panned out in the NFL. He may have a shot at the new “minor” league.
The path back to the NFL was in front of Johnny Manziel, even if it was a long shot. He had thrown at a couple of Pro Days in 2018, then signed a two-year contract to play in the CFL. It wouldn’t have been the first time a CFL player made the move to the NFL if Johnny made the successful transition. First, he had to prove he could play in that league.
Unfortunately for Johnny, he did not live up to former CFL star Warren Moon’s career. Moon would eventually move to the NFL but not before he won three Grey Cups in five seasons with Edmonton.
Manziel finished his first season, after being traded to the Montreal Alouettes, with 1,290 passing yards, five touchdowns, seven interceptions and 215 yards rushing in eight games. They lost his first six starts before winning his last two, though he wasn’t the only quarterback that played in the final two wins.
The Alouettes unexpectedly released Manziel at the direction of the league yesterday, citing he had contravened the agreement which made him eligible to play in the league. The CFL also said they would not honor any contract Manziel signed with any other CFL team.
No more details came out as to what happened to make the league take such drastic action. It remains a mystery today, but some have speculated Johnny is aiming to play in the AAF, which is more like American football than the Canadien version.
Darren Rovell of ActionNetworkHQ had the following to say about the situation.
The AAF hasn't had contact with Johnny Manziel, but told they are reviewing his contractual situation after being released by the Alouettes today. His rights will revert to San Antonio (because of playing at Texas A&M). If they don't want him, would be a free agent.
— Darren Rovell (@darrenrovell) February 28, 2019
Update: Johnny Manziel has been in touch with the AAF about possibly playing for the league (his rights are with San Antonio). Told AAF not moving on anything, if they do, until they find out why he was cut loose + to make sure he’s free and clear from Alouettes.
— Darren Rovell (@darrenrovell) February 28, 2019
So, much like the rest of the country, the AAF is waiting to find out what happened before they make a move on the former Texas A&M football star.
The San Antonio Commanders hold the rights to Manziel since he went to Texas A&M. They currently have Logan Woodside (Toledo), Dustin Vaughn (West Texas A&M), and Marquise Williams (North Carolina) as quarterbacks on the roster. Don’t feel too bad if that’s the first time you’ve heard of those names before. You’re not alone.
Strictly from a football standpoint, Manziel likely has a lot more to offer San Antonio than these three quarterbacks. The issue will be if they believe he’s past his off-the-field problems. It would certainly draw a lot of eyeballs for the AAF if they were able to feature the former Heisman winner.
Jeff Shull is the Site Expert for the Gig Em Gazette on FanSided. Follow him on Twitter, and be sure to follow the Gig Em Gazette on Facebook and Twitter.