The odds of Johnny Manziel getting a second chance in the NFL remain long. Yet, despite having not played since 2015, the former Heisman Trophy winner apparently is drawing more interest than Colin Kaepernick.
Manziel said Saturday he has had a couple of conversations with NFL teams about a comeback. NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reported in March that Manziel had breakfast with Saints coach Sean Payton at the Super Bowl to discuss a return.
“I know the situation that I put myself in,” Manziel said from the fantasy football convention in Dallas, via Jon Machota of the Dallas Morning News. “I know the year I took off and obviously the mistakes that I made. Right now, I’m hopeful. I’m really hopeful. I think that I made some progress in that regard. But we’ll see. Whenever I get a call, I’ll do whatever I can to make the most of it.”
The former first-round pick played two seasons for the Browns, going 2-6 while completing 57 percent of his passes for 1,675 yards with seven touchdowns and seven interceptions. He received a four-game suspension for violation of the substance-abuse policy last summer but sat out last season as a free agent after his release from the Browns.
Manziel, though, has stayed out the news, while working out, in hopes of convincing an NFL team he’s worthy of a second chance.
“I think the thing I realized over the past year and the thing I realized from being away from it is really how much you miss it,” Manziel said. “That’s all I’ve known for so long. It’s what I love to do. It’s hard. It’s hard sitting here going through OTA time and going through summer time and then getting ready to go through fall camp and not being part of it. But at the same time, I’m really optimistic and hopeful that I’ll get another chance. That’s really what I’m holding out for every day.”