Things didn’t work out for Johnny Manziel and the Cleveland Browns.
Before entering the pros, ‘Johnny Football’ wowed crowds at Texas A&M en route to becoming the first-ever freshman to win the Heisman Trophy.
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Manziel was a much-hyped college star before being a bust in the prosCredit: Getty
He declared for the NFL Draft in 2014 after he decided to forgo his junior season, and was projected to be a first-round quarterback pick.
But on the big day, 21 teams passed over Manziel, and he began to slide.
While waiting to get drafted, the young star texted then-Browns quarterbacks coach Dowell Loggains, saying that he wanted to ‘wreck the league’ in Cleveland.
Loggains forwarded that message to head coach Mike Pettine, who made the decision to trade up to draft Manziel with the 22nd overall pick.
The quarterback, though, didn’t deliver on that promise.
His two seasons in Cleveland were a bust, and Manziel threw seven touchdowns and seven interceptions while leading the team to a 2-6 record as a starter.
Off-field issues saw him released by the Browns in 2016, even after LeBron James tried to save him, and he has not suited up for an NFL team since.
Instead, Manziel bounced around the Canadian Football League for a couple of years, and also played in the Alliance of American Football.
A decade on from flaming out with the Browns, ‘Johnny Football’ was hoping to make an NFL comeback.
During a recent appearance on Logan Paul’s ‘IMPAULSIVE’ podcast, he revealed that he almost attempted a return.
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Manziel has hopes of an NFL comeback but has admitted his chances are slimCredit: Getty
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He threw just seven TDs during his two-year stint with the BrownsCredit: Getty
“I asked myself this question last year at some point in time,” Manziel said.
“Got myself into a mindset of like, ‘OK, I’m going to go start working out again, throwing the football around, see if I can still get myself in shape.’
“I remember calling my agent, being like, ‘I think I’m gonna try and make a comeback.’ He’s like, ‘OK, we’ll start talking with some guys, UFL, XFL.’
“And I’m just sitting there thinking like, ‘There’s no way I’m going back to f***ing play in one of these early leagues — UFL, XFL, anything like that — and go do that whole thing again.'”
As well as admitting the idea of having a short run in the smaller leagues to try and secure a training camp invite wasn’t appealing to him, Manziel noted that his chances of getting back into the pros now are very small.
He added: “As much as I would like to think that’s something I could do, I think at 32 my chances are pretty chopped.”
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Manziel also opened up about hating his time with the Browns during a recent podcastCredit: Getty
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He won the Heisman in college before struggling in the NFLCredit: Getty
If, by some miracle, Manziel could make a run at the NFL, there’s just one place he wouldn’t want to land — back with the Browns.
“F*** man, I hated Cleveland,” he told Paul.
“I know that’s going to be tough to hear… that place definitely aided my f***ing depression for sure.”
Despite trashing the city of Cleveland, Manziel could actually inadvertently end up contributing to the $2.4 billion cost of a much-debated new stadium.
NFL franchise poised to abandon 80-year home as decision made on funding for $2.4 billion stadium
The Browns are hoping to move to the Brook Park suburb for the 2029 season, and have secured $600m in funding from the state of Ohio.
Some of that money will be made up from a pot of ‘unclaimed funds’ sitting in Ohio’s treasury — of which Manziel apparently also has a claim to.
“Looks like Johnny Manziel has unclaimed funds from the NFLPA that will be going to the Browns new stadium,” podcaster Chris McNeil wrote on X, sharing a screenshot from the government website.
While it’s unclear exactly how much money the former football star has to claim, the figure is confirmed to be above $100.
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Beginning on January 1, 2026, any funds left untouched for more than 10 years will become eligible for stadium redirection, meaning that if Manziel doesn’t come for his money, he could help pay for the project.
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