Well, it looks like Johnny “Football” Manziel will be putting his football career on hold indefinitely. According to SportsDay , rumors began to circulate that Manziel recently re-enrolled in college . A startled Texas A&M student snapped a screen cap of an online class discussion thread.
It appeared that one of her new classmates was Johnny Manziel. She posted his introduction to Twitter as a bid for confirmation.
It was Johnny Manziel himself who ultimately confirmed the news to TMZ . He allegedly said, “I’m trying to get back to my roots. I need to get my degree like I told my parents I would.”
Manziel was a senior at the time he left Texas A&M for the National Football League.
“Johnny Football” intended to pursue a career in the NFL. However, the hard-partying frat boy soon learned that professional football and its expectations for rookies are much different than what he was used to. When it became apparent he wasn’t a good fit for the Cleveland Browns and a PR nightmare, Johnny Manziel found himself dropped .
He’d barely lasted two seasons in the NFL and as SportsDay notes, he played roughly 15 games. With no career options – Manziel is something of a pariah at the moment – it makes sense that he would find an alternate way to spend his time.
Others are mocking Johnny Manziel’s decision and alleged motives. I feel there’s potential for it to be a good move on his part.
First, it’s important to remember that Johnny was caught up in something of a downward spiral. His professional life was a mess and he’s still facing criminal charges . There’s also a four-game ban awaiting him should he be signed to an NFL team at some point. His trip back to college is probably the first bit of news about Manziel we’ve heard that wasn’t bad.
If Johnny Manziel decided to complete a college degree, that’s energy he’s not putting towards self-destructive behaviors.
Class is back in session… even for Johnny Manziel as the QB re-enrolled at Texas A&M https://t.co/aWYYukQBI7 pic.twitter.com/GtRNpa0623
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) September 6, 2016
Second, Johnny Manziel’s football prospects don’t look very promising at the moment. There’s a sense he’s too immature to take the NFL seriously. No one doubts Johnny Manziel’s talent, but he has yet to show he’s mentally where he should be.
Taking a breather and getting a diploma shows Johnny does have some follow-through capabilities. If Manziel is seen hitting the books rather than the bars, it may help to improve his overall image in the long run. If Johnny Manziel decides he really wants a career in the NFL, he’ll be presenting himself in a new and better light.
Johnny Manziel enrolled as student at Texas A&M https://t.co/aHsWHQYFFb pic.twitter.com/6CVLGBxzFj
— USA TODAY (@USATODAY) September 5, 2016
Lastly, a degree will give Johnny Manziel something, anything, to fall back on. If he finds that he really can’t get a job as a quarterback, maybe his degree in recreation, parks, and tourism sciences will prove useful. Or he can start a blog and become a social media star. The point is, it shows he’s thinking about life outside of the NFL. Many athletes don’t make such plans and when their careers go south, so does their future.
The best thing that Johnny Manziel can do for himself is to prepare viable alternatives.
My new class mate! @JManziel2 can you send me the homework Johnny? pic.twitter.com/PNfM4dCw2I
— Eazy-B (@B_Dwk14) September 5, 2016
Even as Johnny Manziel prepares to keep his promise to his parents, there are some who are wondering if that promise was forced . That is, what if his parents are the ones strongly insisting on Manziel’s school return rather than Johnny opting to do this on his own. Well, we’ll certainly find out one way or another what Johnny Manziel’s intentions are and if the troubled young quarterback is truly sincere.
What do you think? Why did Johnny Manziel head back to college? Do you think he’ll get his degree or eventually give up? Share your thoughts below!
[Photo by Stephen Brashear/Getty Image]
