Is Johnny Manziel Interested In The XFL?
COLLEGE STATION — Is "ComebackSZN" finally coming back?
Former Texas A&M quarterback Johnny Manziel has been at the helm of wanting a second chance to play football. Last season, he would suit up midseason for the Memphis Express in The Alliance of American Football for three games before the league ceased operations.
After contemplating his options, it looks like the 2012 Heisman Trophy Winner could be looking to join The XFL for their inaugural season.
Or could he be pulling everyone's chain with a recent string of tweets?
"Oliver Luck," Manziel wrote. "If ya wanna boost your ratings to another level, just send me the contract tomorrow and we're in there. Like I said YEARS ago ... XFL2020 give the people what they want."
Within several hours, the tweet disappeared. Even more so, the former Aggie's entire account was deleted from the site. Could this be a hack from someone? Could Manziel be stepping out of the spotlight?
One of the hottest names on the market during the XFL's offseason, Manziel was expected to join the league. Following the draft in October, the former Cleveland Browns quarterback was not selected by any of the eight teams during their 70 round selections.
On the opening weekend of league's season, Manziel tweeted that while he hoped to continue his playing career, he would not play in a league that was "destined to fail."
“ComebackSZN still alive if y’all ain’t know," Manziel tweeted. "Just not playing for another league that’s going to fold on you midway through the season.”
The XFL has been off to a stellar start, with two markets expected to surpass the 20,000 attendance mark for opening weekend. Quarterback play has been the subject of concern for the league's long-term outlook. Quarterbacks such as Houston's PJ Walker and D.C.'s Cardale Jones have found much success. Others like New York's Matt McGloin and Tampa Bay's Aaron Murray already have the considered worth benching.
Should struggles ensure with marketing and ratings, Vince McMahon and Luck could potentially bring in Manziel similar to The AAF. Sending him to a team with horrendous quarterback play and terrible attendants could help boost the ratings and add a quality revenue to in-game ticket sales. In his first start for the Express, Memphis' attendance expanded by over 1,000 attendees against the Birmingham Iron.
Manziel became the face of College Football during his two seasons as A&M's starting quarterback. In 2012, the Kerrville native would throw for 3,706 yards, 26 touchdowns and scoring another 21 on the ground. He would become the first freshman in history to take home the coveted Heisman Trophy.
For his career in College Station, Manziel would finish with 7,820 passing yards, 2,169 rushing yards, 93 career touchdowns and 22 interceptions. The Browns would select him with the 22nd pick in the 2014 NFL Draft.
