Johnny Manziel is back in the FCF and is “done” with high-level pro football

Johnny Manziel will forever be a case of “What If?” for the Cleveland Browns

Johnny Manziel is done with “football at a high level”, and just wants to have fun slinging passes. Hey, more power to him. Manziel is going to suit up again for the FCF (Fan Controlled Football) once again in 2022, and for those unfamiliar, they’re an arena league where fans call the plays. Last year Manziel played with former Cleveland Brown player Josh Gordon.

Manziel was arguably the biggest name apart of the league, but he ended up splitting time with fellow Zappers quarterback Logan Marchi during the Zappers inaugural season.

While Manziel’s career in the NFL is an utter disappointment, the former first-round quarterback appears to have found maturity as he’s aged. ESPN’s Kevin Seifert quoted Manziel on what has changed in his life since he flamed out with the Browns;

"I don’t have the drive to play football at a high level anymore. I don’t have a drive to be the best football player anymore that I used to have in my life, and I’m OK with that.…I had an ample amount of opportunities to put my career on a different path, and for whatever reason it was, whether it was me being young or just not seeing life through the right lens at that point in time, I squandered a good opportunity. The more I look back on my life and continue to reflect and try to bury some things and put some things in the past, that’s one thing that I decided to do, was to let [football] go and let that be what it is. Life goes the way it goes sometimes."

Johnny Manziel can still find redemption but it is a long way off

Johnny Manziel isn’t Trent Richardson. Both were busts in the NFL but Richardson seems like a good guy. He’s a family man who just likes to play football. He’s got the field vision of a blind bat, but he seems like a good guy.

Manziel’s failures as an NFL athlete weren’t just on the field, but off it as well. He lived a life of excess and screwed up his chances of actually being something in the league. That all pails in comparison to domestic violence issues that he eventually settled as part of a plea agreement.

It’s good that Manziel isn’t interested in a return to the league, as he hasn’t earned it. That’s not to say that redemption isn’t possible, after all, one of the biggest comebacks was Michael Vick. Vick did some horrendous things, but paid his debt to society and came back a better man for it.

Manziel can achieve that same redemption, it just won’t come in the NFL.

Here’s hoping Manziel can keep his nose clean and his head on straight. The more viable football leagues where guys can make money the better, and if the FCF can succeed built around guys like Manziel, then fantastic

His redemption arc deserves to happen, it just shouldn’t be anywhere near the Browns. Not that the Browns are themselves all that sterling these days.