Getty Image
Johnny Manziel opened up about football journey in a recent interview with Shannon Sharpe this week, talking on points related to both his time at Texas A&M and with the Browns.
The passer was reflective in a large part of that one-on-one, taking the opportunity to apologize to those he felt he’d wronged in the downward spiral that became Johnny Football.
Manziel has been open over the last few years about his mental health and substance abuse throughout his NFL career. He says the partying started after his Heisman winning freshman campaign in College Station, and it never stopped.
Battling inner demons, he resorted to drugs and alcohol to cope with depression, which quickly sent his professional career with the Browns on a negative trajectory.
Two years after being drafted by Cleveland in the first round, he was out of the league.
Manziel took a deep dive into his struggles on the Club Shay Shay podcast. He still holds deep regret for those he failed and the way he conducted himself along the way.
But things could’ve been much worse had they not worked out the way they did, the quarterback says. He believes he’d be dead had another notable organization drafted him.
Johnny Manziel is thankful he wasn’t picked by the Cowboys…
Though at the time, he’d hoped it would happen.
A Texas kid and Aggie legend, what better place to continue the football dream than in Dallas?
The hometown selection would’ve seemingly been a storybook one, but Manziel believes it would’ve ended in tragedy.
“The 16th pick of that draft was Dallas. I remember the anticipation in Radio City when that pick was coming up, and I had my fingers crossed underneath that table the entire time. ‘Please, let me go put that star on my helmet!’
“Looking back now, thank God that it did not happen, because I wouldn’t be sitting here today.”
“I had my fingers crossed under that table the entire time. ‘Please, let me go put that star on my helmet.’ Looking back now, thank God it didn’t happen because I wouldn’t be sitting here today.” – @jmanziel2#cowboys #dallas pic.twitter.com/8Zw2UB9FvL
— Club Shay Shay (@ClubShayShay) February 22, 2024
Manziel truly believes his life would’ve ended in Dallas due to his party habits and surrounding entourage.
“If you would’ve put me in a landscape that was my backyard… I think it would’ve been an absolute disaster. It wouldn’t have been suicide… it would’ve been drinking and driving. It would’ve been taking a bag from somebody you shouldn’t take it from. Boom, it could’ve been over in an instant.”
The passer’s drug use is well-noted. He talked about losing 40 pounds shortly after his NFL career ended due to a steady diet of cocaine. His thoughts on suicide were also documented in the Netflix show Untold: Johnny Football.
Manziel didn’t drink in the sit down, suggesting he’s changed his ways for the better.
While he’s apologetic towards the city of Cleveland for his behavior off the field, he’s also extremely happy he ended up there as it might’ve saved his life.
Watch the full episode of the Club Shay Shay podcast below: