Where Is Johnny Manziel? Quarterback Allowed To Sign CFL Contract

Johnny Manziel was one of the most divisive college and professional football figures of the last decade, with a blazing freshman season at Texas A&M making way for a brief, disappointing NFL career with the Cleveland Browns. The quarterback made his way back into the news cycle with a week to go in the NFL regular season by becoming eligible to play in a completely different pro football league, ESPN reported.

After a months-long investigation into Manziel’s controversial domestic violence case, Canadian Football League commissioner Randy Ambrosie announced the quarterback is now free to sign a CFL contract. Manziel’s CFL rights are owned by the Hamilton Tiger-Cats, a team that missed the 2017 playoffs with a 6-12 record.

Ambrosie told ESPN he personally found Manziel to be “authentic and sincere,” but would defer to the judgment of outside sources on Manziel’s character, presumably to protect the CFL’s reputation. The investigation apparently found that Manziel’s off-the-field issues would not be too disruptive to a CFL organization and the Tiger-Cats are now free to sign him to a contract, if he wants to play for them. Otherwise, they could trade his rights to one of the other eight teams in the league.

Manziel dedicated much of 2017 to proving he deserved another chance in pro football. He claimed to be sober and remorseful regarding his past actions in January, before meeting with New Orleans Saints head coach Sean Payton in March. He also publicly congratulated 2017 Heisman Trophy winner Baker Mayfield.

Manziel had not yet commented on the situation with CFL, but the man once known as “Johnny Football” expressed an interest in playing in Canada in September, according to USA Today. Tiger-Cats coach June Jones, who once coached the Atlanta Falcons, said Manziel has the potential to be one of the best CFL players ever.

"He can throw it and he can run it like nobody ever has been able to do,” Jones said.

Canadian football resembles American football in many fundamental ways, but is a significantly different game. The field is 10 yards longer and a bit wider, while the end zone is much larger. The offense also only has three downs to move the chains instead of four. Warren Moon, Doug Flutie, Jeff Garcia and Cameron Wake highlight the list of CFL players who later found success in the NFL.

The Tiger-Cats thanked the commissioner for doing his due diligence in a statement, but did not comment on any further efforts to sign the quarterback. Manziel made a huge splash in the sports world during his redshirt freshman season at Texas A&M in 2012. His dynamic, improvisational play led the Aggies to a shocking 11-2 record in their first season of play in the Southeastern Conference.

The highlight of Manziel’s 2012 season was an upset victory over the eventual national champion Alabama Crimson Tide. Manziel would win the Heisman Trophy that year, with a ridiculous scrambling touchdown pass against Alabama becoming Heisman legend.

Manziel was drafted in the first round of the 2014 NFL Draft by the Cleveland Browns, but his career was seemingly over before it started. He had trouble making it to the field, starting just eight games over his two seasons in Cleveland and throwing only seven touchdown passes in those games. Numerous issues off the field did not help his reputation and he has been out of football since 2015.