Johnny Manziel said in an interview on “Good Morning America” on Monday that he’s bipolar, rehabbing and receiving proper medication, and he’s ready to mount a comeback in his football career.
Manziel told GMA’s T.J. Holmes that he was diagnosed with bipolar disorder “about a year ago” and no longer drinks alcohol as a coping mechanism.
“At the end of the day, I can’t help that my wires are a little bit differently crossed than yours. I can’t help my mental makeup of the way that I was created,” Manziel said. “But I know if I stay on these meds, and I continue to do what I am doing right now … I think my dad, my mom, I think [my girlfriend] would all agree that they see a drastic change.”
The 2012 Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback and former Cleveland Browns first-round draft pick spent two seasons in the NFL, but a series of off-the-field incidents culminating in a domestic violence charge seemed to spell an early end to his NFL career, as the Browns cut him before the 2016 season.
Manziel’s father Paul also once famously told ESPN’s Josina Anderson, “It’s not a secret that he’s a druggie,” “I hope he goes to jail,” and “If I have to bury him, I’ll bury him.”
It’s for the best that Manziel seems to have gotten the help he needs. Whether an NFL team will welcome him back into the league is a different question. No football team has enough capable quarterbacks on its roster; the demand for good quarterbacks outstrips the supply. But in addition to his checkered past, Manziel is also a shade under 6 feet tall, a below-average height for a QB that many scouts balk at.
• Adam Zielonka can be reached at azielonka@washingtontimes.com.
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