Johnny Manziel — 2012 Heisman winner
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In 2012, Manziel grew to become the primary freshman to win the Heisman Trophy after a stellar season at Texas A&M.
Nicknamed “Johnny Soccer,” Manziel threw for 3,706 yards and 26 touchdowns and rushed 1,410 yards for a further 21 touchdowns. He returned to the Aggies the next yr and completed the season with 4,114 passing yards for 37 touchdowns, and 759 dashing yards for 9 touchdowns.
After simply two collegiate seasons, Manziel declared for the NFL Draft and was chosen twenty second general by the Cleveland Browns in 2014.
However earlier than he may take his first NFL snap, Cleveland.com reported that the Browns had been “alarmed” by Manziel’s off-field partying. His troubles continued into the season, from flashing an obscene gesture on the Washington bench throughout a preseason recreation in August to searching for remedy in January 2015.
Within the post-game press convention, Manziel mentioned he will get “phrases exchanged” with him all through each recreation, including, “I ought to’ve been smarter … I must be smarter than that. There’s all the time phrases exchanged on the soccer subject.” He additionally described the second as a “lapse in judgement.”
He completed his rookie yr having performed in simply 5 video games, passing for 175 yards, no touchdowns, and two interceptions for a passer score of 42.0. Manziel returned to Cleveland the next season, the place he performed in 9 video games and handed for 1,500 yards and 7 touchdowns.
Nevertheless, it was off-field troubles that continued to plague Manziel’s profession, together with a 2016 misdemeanor home violence cost. ESPN reported that the fees had been dismissed in November 2017 after Manziel met the necessities of a dismissal settlement.
The Browns launched Manziel in March 2016.
“After I bought to Cleveland, I wasn’t on this head house to have the ability to simply go play soccer,” Manziel informed Enterprise Insider’s Meredith Money in 2023. “I used to be struggling to get away from bed within the morning. I used to be struggling to combat ideas and emotions that I had by no means actually had earlier than in my life.”
“I do know that I am nonetheless gonna stroll down the road or go to a restaurant or go to a soccer recreation and persons are nonetheless gonna acknowledge me,” Manziel added. “However on the finish of the day, I wanna stay a extra regular, simplistic life-style now. I am discovering issues that actually do make me comfortable with out having to be in a highlight each day.”
Manziel didn’t reply to Enterprise Insider’s request for extra remark for this story.
