Johnny Manziel Files Lawsuit To Protect ‘Johnny Football’ Name

There is very little doubt that Johnny Manziel is an interesting guy. The first freshman to ever win the Heisman. He’s also a Texas A&M student who only takes online classes.

These two things alone would allow the football star to stand out from the pack. Manziel also has a nickname that seems perfectly suited to a talented quarterback who hails from the Lonestar state.

Manziel has recently filed a lawsuit to make sure that only he can benefit from that nickname, “Johnny Football.” ESPN.com reports that Manziel’s corporation JMAN2 filed a lawsuit against Texas businessman Eric Vaughan.

Vaughan had been printing t-shirts that had the motto, “Keep Calm and Johnny Football.” The corporation is asking for an injunction to stop the t-shirts from continuing to be sold. JMAN2 is also looking for damages.

The interesting thing about this lawsuit is that the rules against making money off a college athlete’s name are quite restrictive. The corporation is not allowed to collect on the money Johnny’s name and reputation brings until he has left college.

Texas A&M has seen a resurgence of its football program this season, its first in the SEC. Manziel led the team to several comeback wins and posted a victory over eventual national champion Alabama.

The team finished with an 11-2 record and their victories, as well as Manziel’s eye popping stats allowed him to overcome tradition and win the Heisman trophy.

Johnny Manziel’s eye popping numbers included 3,706 yards passing with 26 touchdowns and just nine interceptions. The freshman also ran for 1,410 yards and 21 touchdowns.

Against Alabama, Manziel passed for 251 yards and two touchdowns while running for 92 yards on 15 carries.

Can Johnny Manziel make the Johnny Football label be his and his alone? Or is this kind of lawsuit a lost cause?