ESPN silent after celebrity guest picker misses College GameDay

The College Football Playoff opened its expanded 12-team weekend in a way that briefly distracted from the games themselves.

Johnny Manziel, the former Heisman-winning Texas A&M quarterback, was announced as Saturday’s celebrity guest picker for ESPN’s College GameDay ahead of No. 10 Miami vs. No. 7 Texas A&M.

ESPN’s promotional materials listed Manziel as part of the CFP buildup, and College GameDay also shared the lineup on social media.

However, when the pickers segment aired Saturday morning, Manziel was not on stage. Instead, Alex Caruso, a former Aggies guard and current NBA player with the Oklahoma City Thunder, joined Pat McAfee and the GameDay crew to make the celebrity picks.

As of the time of writing, ESPN has not issued a formal explanation for the change.

College GameDay said last night that Johnny Manziel would be today’s celebrity guest picker but now the graphic say it's Alex Caruso. I wonder what happened there.
— Joe Pompliano (@JoePompliano) December 20, 2025

Manziel starred at Texas A&M (2012-13), winning the 2012 Heisman Trophy as a redshirt freshman, the first to do so.

In 2012, he posted 3,706 passing yards, 26 passing TDs, and 1,410 rushing yards with 21 rushing TDs (5,116 total offense).

In 2013, he added 4,114 passing yards and 37 passing TDs with 759 rushing yards and nine rushing TDs, ending his college career with 7,820 passing yards, 63 passing TDs, and 2,169 rushing yards along with 30 rushing TDs.

Manziel declared for the 2014 NFL Draft and was selected 22nd overall by the Cleveland Browns, though he played just two seasons, ending his brief NFL career with 1,675 passing yards, seven TDs, and seven INTs.

Former Texas A&M and Cleveland Browns quarterback Johnny Manziel. — College Station, Texas, USA; Former Texas A&M and Cleveland Browns quarterback Johnny Manziel looks on prior to the game against the Texas Longhorns. The Longhorns defeated the Aggies 17-7 at Kyle Field. | Maria Lysaker-Imagn Images

Caruso starred at Texas A&M (2012–16), leaving as the program’s all-time leader in assists (649) and steals (276) and earning All-SEC recognition and defensive honors.

Undrafted in 2016, Caruso began in the G-League with the Oklahoma City Blue before earning an NBA role with the Los Angeles Lakers; he won an NBA championship with the Lakers in 2020 and became known leaguewide as a high-energy perimeter defender.

Caruso signed with the Chicago Bulls in 2021, made All-Defensive teams, and was traded to Oklahoma City in June 2024; the Thunder later locked him to a multi-year extension and won its first-ever NBA title in 2025.

Ultimately, GameDay moved from a polarizing, high-profile alumnus to a safer Texas A&M option, keeping the broadcast on track but leaving the reasoning unclear.

With no explanation yet from ESPN or Manziel, the situation remains unresolved.

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