Johnny Manziel had a tough decision to make regarding the future of his football career. Play right away in Canada, but commit for two seasons, or wait until February and play for the Alliance of American Football, with an immediate path to the NFL.
Manziel opted to played now, even if it meant committing to the CFL through the conclusion of its 2019 season. Per a source with knowledge of the situation, Manziel signed the standard CFL deal, which gives the Hamilton Tiger-Cats a one-year commitment and an option for a second.
This doesn’t mean the two-year rule won’t change. It also doesn’t mean it will, but the possibility lingers that the CFL will react to the emerging American developmental leagues (the Spring League, the Alliance of American Football, and the XFL) by providing greater roster flexibility in the hopes of getting players to choose to play in Canada.
Even if Manziel were to secure the ability to leave the CFL after one year, it doesn’t mean he would. If the choice comes down to playing in Canada or simply being on a roster in the NFL, Manziel possibly would decide to continue to stay in the league where he gets to actually play the game. (He also could choose, if he ends up with the ability to exit the CFL after one year, to spend 2018 in Canada and early 2019 with the AAF.)
Now, the challenge for Manziel will be to earn his way onto the field, and then to show that he can perform on a week-in and week-out basis in a professional league where the talent isn’t that much worse than the NFL -- and where the offense has only three plays to go 10 yards.
Manziel still has a long way to go to get back to the NFL as a starting quarterback, but #ComebackSZN continues. Where it ultimately leads remains to be seen.