The Downfall of Johnny “Football” Manziel
Johnny Manziel was born in Tyler Texas on December 6, 1992. Nicknamed “Johnny Football”, he was an astounding athlete in college, winning the Heisman as a redshirt Freshman, the first to ever do it. The Heisman trophy is one of the most, if not the most prestigious award an athlete can receive. Manziel accumulated over 4,600 yards of total offense, leading his team to a 10–2 record in arguably the toughest conferences in college football (SEC).
Manziel’s publicity and fame notoriously came from his victory against Alabama, the number-one team in the nation at the time. No one, no one thought Texas A&M would defeat Alabama. They had a freshman playing against the best team in the nation, what are the odds they somehow beat Coach Saban and the Roll Tide? Manziel did just that, defeating and putting up highlight-reel plays, stunning the world, defeating Alabama 29–24.
As his years continued in college it was certain he was getting taken in the first round of the NFL draft, Texas A&M wanted to show NFL scouts that he didn’t just rely on his feet and that he was a true dual-threat quarterback. He threw for over 4,000 yards and 35+ touchdowns, and he was voted the Heisman finalist again ultimately finishing 5th in the poll, there was no sign of stopping for Johnny Manziel.
Through his years in college came skepticism of his ability to lead an NFL team. He was never the perfect athlete off the field by any means, many off-the-field issues made teams question his leadership skills. Gambling, secret autograph signings, drinking and smoking with celebrities, the list goes on. Johnny Manziel was the most influential man on the planet during his early years at Texas A&M, all the cameras and eyes were on him, and the spotlight was his.
When asked, a sports enthusiast, “Do you believe it was the publicity that made him go downhill?” his response was — “Yes, I think so, he focused more on partying than playing. He was still playing at the top of his game while partying, he thought he was untouchable.” Why stop partying if you are still crushing the competition, and breaking numerous records? “The harder I partied… the better I played,” claimed Johnny Manziel on Shannon Sharpe’s podcast.
When asked, a fellow college student — “What pops into your head when I mention the athlete, Johnny Manziel?” “I think of a know-it-all, who has limitless potential, the talent, and the skills in the world to be a great football player.”
NFL teams were seeing one of the best quarterbacks ever to play college football, beat the toughest teams, and a week later watching him on the news with celebrities at a party the same night after the game. No 32 NFL teams approved of his work ethic, leadership, or character. It was just what team would take a chance on him and hope he would mature.
Being humble while also being the most exciting athlete in the world is nearly impossible to do. When asked, a fellow college student, “Do you think Manziel had an ego so big he couldn't control it?” “Yes, I think it was the fame and publicity that got to him. He also likely shut out any help he was getting.”
In which proved to be true “I go straight to my basement, grab the biggest bottle of Henessy, and listen to future every second of every day…by myself.” Johnny Manziel said on Shannon Sharpe’s podcast (about the lowest point of his life).
Fast forward to draft night, Johnny Manziel was in the spotlight once again, the announcers either knew he would go #1 or fall to the second round. The talent and skillset Johnny Manziel had was bar none — generational. The browns decided to take a chance on him, with the 22nd overall pick, which they would regret doing in the coming years. Many saw it as a great pick, and a great player to build around. Not only that but Lebron James was on the Cleveland Cavaliers during those years as well. The two most famous athletes in America were in the same city.
Lebron James gave Johnny a great team to help guide him to be successful in Cleveland and to start a legacy for his own. Sadly, Johnny passively pushed them away continuously, even though it was clear he knew he needed help. Not only that but inside the Cleveland Browns team, there posed to be conflict inside the QB room as well, “My quarterback room was not a home run for me, because of Brian Hoyer,” claimed Johnny.
Johnny Manziel claimed, that in his second year as a Brown, he was gradually gaining confidence and feeling better physically and mentally until Hoyer made some derogatory claims to Manziel, that shattered what he was working so hard on. “It really got to me,” said Manziel.
He was not only fighting his PR team but his football team as well. Everything that was going bad for “Johnny Football” did.
The downfall of Johnny Manziel’s career serves as a cautionary tale of talent overpowered by personal struggles. the Freshman Heisman football winner with exceptional skill and potential, Manziel’s career spiraled due to off-field controversies, including substance abuse and legal issues. Despite flashes of brilliance on the field, his inability to overcome personal demons ultimately derailed his professional aspirations. His story highlights the importance of character, discipline, and mental well-being in achieving and sustaining success in the competitive world of professional sports.
