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The “Days since the last Johnny Manziel post” sign in the PFT was about to turn to 15. We will have to zero.
On Saturday, Manziel played his first game since 2019, when he was with the Memphis Express from the Alliance of American Football. He debuted in the Fan Controlled Football (FCF) league.
Manziel’s highlight came in his first snap, a 38-yard run that brought back memories of his Heisman Trophy days at Texas A&M.
Manziel made 1 of 5 for 11 yards, but ran for 67 and a touchdown in eight runs, while his Zappers lost to the Beasts 48-44.
“The product will continue to improve over the weeks,” said Manziel, via USA Today. “Good start even with the loss. You know, win or lose, we drink at Zappers. “
Manziel, 28, won Heisman in 2012, was a first-round pick for the Browns in 2014 and played for the last time in the NFL in 2015. He had a short stint at CFL before his brief appearance in AAF.
Manziel said last summer that his playing career was “probably in the past”.
That was before FCF, a seven-against-seven league played on a 50-by-35 yard field with 10-yard endzones, called Manziel so it became a victory between the starting league and the still popular quarterback. Manziel is the main attraction of the FCF, whose investors are Marshawn Lynch, Richard Sherman and Austin Ekeler.
“It looks like I’m super defeated, but I still had a lot of fun,” said Manziel. “It was the most fun I’ve had in a while.”
Manziel’s best football days are behind him, and he even noted that a few years ago he would have scored in the initial run that saw him being dragged into the 5-yard line.
“Do you see me getting caught from behind too?” Said Manziel. “Times have changed. We are definitely in 2021.”
Manziel repeated how much fun he had, something he didn’t miss.