Johnny Manziel vowed to 'wreck this league' in mid-draft text to Cleveland Browns
Johnny Manziel endured a tense few hours in the green room before he was drafted No. 22 overall. (Jason Miller/Getty Images)
During the first round of the 2014 NFL draft, Texas A&M quarterback Johnny Manziel was anxiously waiting in the green room for his name to be called. After falling out of the top 15, it appeared that Manziel could be destined for the Dallas Cowboys, but the Cowboys passed on Manziel as well, a move that looked as if it might set off a first-round free fall for the former Heisman Trophy winner.
While Manziel was waiting to be drafted, he sent a text message to Cleveland quarterbacks coach Dowell Loggains asking for the team to trade up and select him, according to Cleveland.com's Mary Kay Cabot.
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"We're sitting there and they keep showing Johnny on TV and Johnny and I are texting and he shoots me a text and he says, 'I wish you guys would come get me. Hurry up and draft me because I want to be there. I want to wreck this league together.'
"When I got that text, I forwarded it to the owner and to the head coach (Mike Pettine),'' Loggains said on Sports Talk with Bo Mattingly on Arkansas ESPN. "I'm like, 'This guy wants to be here. He wants to be part of it.' As soon as that happened, Mr. Haslam said, 'Pull the trigger. We're trading up to go get this guy.'"
Manziel and Loggains clicked during the quarterback's pre-draft meetings with the team, and their strong relationship ultimately helped Manziel land in Cleveland with the No. 22 overall pick.
