In a candid conversation on the “Club Shay Shay” podcast, former Texas A&M Aggies quarterback and 2012 Heisman Trophy winner Johnny Manziel opened up about his tumultuous journey through the NFL and college football. Hosted by fellow pro player Shannon Sharpe, the interview delved into Manziel’s career, personal struggles, and revelations about the hidden workings of college football, including ‘bag men’ at top college football programs and his ‘diet of blow’ leading to huge weight loss.
Manziel Says Weight Loss Down to ‘Strict Diet of Blow’
Manziel, known for his electrifying play at Texas A&M and his brief, controversial stint with the Cleveland Browns, discussed how his career’s downward spiral led to significant physical and emotional changes. “I was 210 pounds when I left Cleveland,” he said, reflecting on his time with the Browns.
His troubles off the field, which included a stint in rehab, culminated in a dramatic weight loss. “I was 170 pounds sitting in Vegas,” Manziel disclosed, attributing the loss to a “strict diet of blow.”
This isn’t the first time Manziel has spoken about his struggles. His Netflix documentary, “Johnny Football,” released in 2023, sheds light on his personal battles. “The people closest to me were in the mindset of ‘We have to let him go,'” he said in the documentary. “And when that happened, it was full-blown ‘I’m gonna rub this whole thing in your f–king face.'”
Manziel’s journey into the NFL began after an eventful time at Texas A&M, where he made headlines both on and off the field. He shared a shocking story about his father’s attempt to secure a financial deal for his son’s stay at the university.
“My dad went and had a meeting with Kevin Sumlin, and pretty much went to him man to man and was like, ‘We’ll take $3 million and we’ll stay for the next two years.’ And my dad did this without me knowing. I ain’t mad at him about it for nothing,” Manziel revealed.
Manziel Says All Top College Football Programs Have ‘Bag Men’ Including LSU and Alabama
The former quarterback also shed light on the prevalent yet hidden practice of “bag men” in college football, saying, “There was a bag man at every school around the country if you were competing for a national title.”
He explained how these under-the-table dealings were common in the pre-NIL (Name, Image, Likeness) era of college sports. “It’s the way the business worked back then,” he stated.
His story, from a celebrated college athlete to a professional player grappling with personal demons, offers a unique perspective on the highs and lows of a career in sports.
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