As far as NFL offseasons go, Johnny Manziel is having just about the worst one possible. For a player looking to get back into the league ASAP, he sure has had a very funny way of showing just how serious he is about his craft.
Manziel has now been dropped by two agents in a matter of months, been seen partying in just about every manner, been caught passed out with shrooms and coke in a trashed house he rented and it was learned Tuesday that Nike had officially terminated his endorsement deal.
Clearly the man needs some serious help, and that’s the reason his last agent, Drew Rosenhaus, dropped him. Rosenhaus gave him a five-day ultimatum to check into rehab and get serious about his future or he would be dropped.
The troubled quarterback issued a public statement about his troubles on Tuesday night. He sounded like a man aware that he does indeed need help.
“I’m hoping to take care of the issues in front of me right now so I can focus on what I have to do if I want to play in 2016,” Manziel said in a statement provided to various outlets. “I also continue to be thankful to those who really know me and support me.”
Manziel wants us to believe that partying in Coachella and being so toxic that his agent doesn’t want anything to do with him were the last straws. He says he plans to start interviewing for a new agent and getting his life back in order to get back into the league for 2016.
“So many people only have one image of Jonathan but, believe it or not, he takes all this very seriously,” said Denise Michaels, Manziel’s spokesperson. “He’s hoping that he can clear up his personal issues, start interviewing agents and see what he needs to do if he wants to play this year.”
He may want to worry more about pending legal issues, as the Dallas Country District Attorney is going to put his assault case in front of a grand jury on Thursday. If that grand jury suggests charges going forward, Manziel might as well kiss the NFL goodbye for the foreseeable future.
There’s a long road ahead for Manziel if he wants his nightmare of an offseason to go back to an NFL dream. It’s just up to him to wake up.
