Known as one of the biggest busts of the past few years, Johnny Manziel has become a polarizing figure for many football fans. One thing most people can agree on is that he has been in the news too much. Even now, Manziel is making headlines off the field which raises a few questions. Is Manziel more popular than ever and will Johnny Football fever ever stop?
You would assume with Manziel’s brush with domestic violence, partying and lack of production, he wouldn’t have any fans left. If anything, Manziel is more popular than ever. He’s even being endorsed by Superbowl MVP, Von Miller who he was rumored to be living with. News recently broke that Manziel could have become one of the Broncos’ quarterbacks for the 2016 season too.
The best team in the NFL last year was interested in Manziel? That brings a completely new layer to this story and one that won’t soon die. No matter who the Broncos end up signing, it will be a “What If?” game. What if Manziel would have been their starter? What if Peyton Manning had decided to mentor Manziel? What if Manziel had earned a spot on the Broncos roster this season?
Then there’s the “What Ifs” for the Browns if Manziel does succeed. What if the Browns just weren’t the right team for him? What if the Browns had hired Hue Jackson last year? What if Manziel had decided to stop drinking? All of those questions will be asked through the 2016 season because the NFL and ESPN cannot get enough.
Both of the networks live on drama and trying to make something out of nothing. That’s why Manziel Fever will never die. He will be a constant presence throughout the next couple seasons because he was a bust in the draft and the next handful of drafts will contain his name. Plus anytime the Browns are brought up, Manziel’s name will come up and what he could have done for the team.
No matter what, Manziel is a fixture in the NFL zeitgeist now. He will be brought up as a point for an analyst to either praise or criticize. When the Johnny Manziel saga ends, it will hopefully be for good and if not, then he’ll be another NFL star only talked about for who he is and not how he plays.
Featured image via Larry Brown Sports