AUSTIN – Quarterback Johnny Manziel was back on a field Saturday night in Austin, playing football in the state that made him a pigskin superstar.
Manziel threw one touchdown pass in his Spring League debut, but his South team lost to the North team 11-7. Manziel completed his first seven passes, and finished 9-for-15 for 82 yards in about two quarters of play.
“It was good to be back on the field,” Manziel said after the game. “Had fun. Had fun, nonetheless. The touchdown in the first quarter was fun, but I just have a sour sour taste right now.” The 2012 Heisman Trophy winner hates losing, no matter the stage.
Manziel last played in a game on Dec. 27, 2015, with the Cleveland Browns. The Browns released him in March of 2016. Following a rough couple of years, Johnny Football is trying to make his NFL dream a reality for the second time. He’s dubbed it his “Comeback SZN.”
“The main thing the comeback season for me is, no matter where I end up, no matter what happens football-wise, I’ve repaired a lot of relationships that needed work,” Manziel said. “I’ve repaired a lot of myself that needed a lot of work and I’m able to get back on the field. Something that I didn’t know if I’d ever get a chance to do again. It’s disappointing, some of the things that happened, but nevertheless, it’s a huge step for me. I put pads back on. A lot of people wrote me off just to even get back to this point. I’m definitely emotional about it. I’m definitely happy about it. This isn’t the end goal for me, but I’m having fun again.”
Recommended Videos
The Spring League bills itself as an elite developmental league and scouting event for professional football talent. The league has one more set of games scheduled for Thursday, where Manziel will get another shot to show NFL teams what he can do. He is one of 170 players who paid to participate in the league.