Former NFL QB/2012 Heisman Trophy Winner Johnny Manziel

26:15So I think with him at the helm of Vanderbilt, the guy plays, if anybody in the country plays, is similar to me as I've seen. Do you get to mentor a lot of collegiate athletes? Do a lot of them come to you and say, hey, do you have any advice? And what kind of advice do you give to them? You know, I always have people come into my DMs every now and then. I was in Miami a couple weeks ago and ran into Carson Beck and had a nice talk with him for a little bit. Me and Marcel Reed spoke on the phone last week and talked about some stuff. So listen, for the guys who, it is a tough world in college football right now, right?

26:51Dealing with money and fame and just kind of everything that comes with it. And it is very easy to let some of those things overtake what the main thing is. So as much as this money that you're making in college is amazing, life-changing really, the end goal is the second contract in the NFL and to get to the next show and the next stage. So my DMs are always open and I'm always willing to give anybody advice for anybody that wants to reach out. Do you wish a 19 year old Johnny Manziel had someone like you to talk to and kind of give advice on how to handle fame? I don't know if a 19 year old Johnny Manziel would have listened to anybody.

27:35Nobody like I was wondering that because like Tyvee High School is known for its military like ask type of training. and then you go to Texas A &M and it felt like, because I watched your documentary Untold on Netflix, which anyone that hasn't seen it, it's amazing. It's a great kind of story of what your story truly was. And going to Texas A &M, it kind of feels like it let you do whatever you wanted, right? So do you feel like you needed a kind of military style or do you feel like no matter what kind of style was in college, you weren't listening? I mean, I was just at such a point where I was on such a crazy high of a rollercoaster ride that I really don't think I would have.

28:19Throughout that period of time, especially when I was going through the NCAA investigation stuff, LeBron was on my phone every single day giving me advice. What was LeBron telling you? Just keep your head up. Fight through this. Like there's going to be a lot of stuff that comes through it and a lot of stuff that you're going to read that you're going to see. But continue to try and keep the main thing the main thing and just just continue to work on your craft and try and get better and go have another great season. But, you know, it was it was really tough because, you know, you have all the access in the world.

28:53Nobody says no to you. You get to do whatever you want. And, you know, for me, you know, it was something that I just loved being in. You know, I loved it. What do you think the Johnny Manziel era would be like if there was NIL deals back then and there was a transfer portal back then? Yeah, I would have probably walked into the athletic building every day in a Rolls-Royce ghost with a fur coat and a pink hat on.

29:25I would have taken the Joe Namath route for sure. So is it a good thing that you didn't have NIL back then? Or like, how do you feel about the NIL right now? Do you feel it's a bad thing or a good thing? Because you were kind of a person that wanted that to happen, right? Yeah, no, I think for me, the way I think about it now, even though it is a little bit skewed and a little bit out of whack, it is in the players' favor right now. And schools are having to adjust and conferences and everything that's going on, it is a little wacky. But at the end of the day, to have kids that come through your school that move the needle, that bring in a ton of value and money and everything that comes along with it, they deserve to be compensated.

30:11So the thing that's kind of really tough is like for me during our time, we couldn't just hop in a transfer portal and end up somewhere in the spring. We couldn't just bounce and go somewhere else or get an offer for somebody. It was a full year you have to sit out. So the opportunity that these kids are getting is amazing. But also something that it's doing is if you're a high school recruit, a two-star, a three-star, there are so many people in the transfer portal that there's not as many guys getting recruited out of high school because why wouldn't you go get somebody from the transfer portal who's already been in the swing of things and knows how to handle themselves and go to class?

30:56It's a lot more difficult teaching a high school kid that than somebody who's already been in another program. Do you feel like the NFL or college can better prepare kids going into the NFL? Or do you feel like it's better now than it was back in your day? Or do you feel like there's still some steps that need to be taken to get a collegiate player ready for the NFL and what it brings? I think it comes down to school dependent, right? Like I think it comes down to the effort that the athletic departments are putting into making sure guys know about finances. Like we would go into a rookie symposium and learn about, hey, you make a million dollars, you're with your agent and your taxes and everything, you're really gonna see X amount.

31:41Now you can't have kids in college that are making a million dollars a year and not pay their taxes and have the IRS coming after them and everything. So you would hope, you know, an athletic department is sitting these kids down and really showing them that, you know, if you make 100 grand, you don't get 100 grand. You know, there's other things that come along with it. And, you know, for them, just trying to teach them and educate them, it should be better, you know, even though it is really hard to do that for 17, 18, 19, 20-year-old kids. I mean, I don't know if the kids today are putting their hundred grand underneath their beds like you used to do when you would do autograph signings and stuff like that.

32:21Do you think that winning the Heisman as a freshman changed your life and changed your career? And if you didn't win the Heisman, like say Manti Teo won, do you think that would have changed your career and your trajectory? I think 100 % it would have. I think that trophy and breaking down that barrier of being the first freshman to win the Heisman, you know, changed my life forever. You know, something that throughout the history was really taboo at one point in time that a freshman couldn't win it. And to finally, you know, knock that barrier down and then see the next year Jameis come in and win it as a redshirt freshman as well.

32:57It really just changed the game for that fraternity and for that award. And, you know, it changed my life forever. You know, I'm forever, you know, able to go to autograph signings or go to the award show in December and, you know, sign a Heisman helmet along with the rest of the legends there. And it's, you know, it is the greatest thing that has ever happened to me in my life and something for me that I always dreamt about and got a chance to actually live a dream. Talk to me about the popularity of Johnny Manziel, Money Manziel, Johnny football. I mean, at your pro day, like you had a former president, George Bush and Barbara Bush were at your pro day.

33:35I mean, what was that like? Well, I mean, you were hanging out with Dre LeBron, Drake LeBron, like all these, all these amazing people. And you're still in college and still going to school. Talk to me a little bit about that. Yeah, I mean, it's it was unbelievable going through the pro day and being probably 10 minutes into the workout. and then you see the garage door kind of lift on the other end of the stadium and you see President Bush on his golf cart just driving through, not a care in the world. I got to go sit down with him the night before and have a really cool dinner and talk and sit and just being from Texas.

34:15Wait, what did you talk about with George Bush? I got to bring my mom and my dad and stuff. I think we talked a lot about just Texas. We talked about what a great state it is, about Aggie football, about life. I think it's a memory that me and my family have framed in our house forever. I think it meant a lot to us at that time. It was really, really surreal when you're in college and they're like, hey, this is going to happen. I was like, wow, I get to bring my mom, my dad, my sister and do this and have this whole experience. Come on. Amazing. After the pro day, you're at the draft. Did you think Dallas was coming for you?

34:55were you hoping for it i remember as it was going on like you know there was always such a hope because we never really talked to them much throughout the draft but i had been you know from my time when i was a and m been in jerry suite a couple times i went to the final four that was there and sat in the suite um we always had great talks always seemed to have a good relationship so when the pick popped up you know i'm sitting there crossing my fingers hoping that that would be the case. You know, ultimately for them, it worked out because Zach Martin was an unbelievable pick. And I would say still probably even to this day, I'm a fan of players in the NFL like Mike Evans, my guy.

35:36There's quarterbacks that I love to watch. But, you know, if there's a team that like really has like a place in my heart that I like, it's the boys. Yeah. So you're in the suite with Jerry. did you ever feel like he was picking your brain, trying to see if you were the quarterback of his future, or was it more just small talk, handshake, smile, take a picture, see you bye? I think it was more just small talk and handshakes and hanging out and me probably trying to go in there and sneak a margarita or something. Nice. And so you're at the draft and you were falling, and then the Cleveland Browns step up and take you.

36:14What's that feeling like? and by the way I also heard that you did you text like the offensive coordinator from the Browns and be like come get me or something along those lines did I read that day or that's right we were he texted me a little bit probably maybe after like pick 18 or something it was like oh this is Kyle right this was Dial Loggins okay our quarterback coach he's like be patient we think we're going to come up and get you the really interesting thing was going into the draft We felt like our floor was 23, even though we didn't have any meetings with the Kansas City Chiefs. I think Andy Reid really liked me.

36:49And that's where I would have gone had the Browns not traded up one spot ahead. Oh, wow. I didn't even know that one. Wow. So you get drafted to Cleveland. What's the immediate thought? You're happy or you're like, oh, God, it's Cleveland. No, I'm the guy that can change the trajectory of the quarterbacks. I think my immediate reaction was like, oh my gosh, like I'm a 5 '11 quarterback who played two years in college and I just got drafted in the first round. Like, wow. That was it. Because the Johnny Manziel that I watched on TV, I would think he would be like, yeah, of course I'm going to the Cleveland and I'm going to be that guy that changes the trajectory.

37:28I'm going to do it all. So in the back of your head, you're more like, oh my God, I've only played two years. Like, what is going on here? I mean when I went to college I never really I just wanted to get on the field and play college football and then you look up like you know 12 months later and you're on a stage in New York and you win a Heisman and then you know you go back for a second season and you play better than you did the year before and it's like wow I didn't come into this thinking that the NFL was actually going to be a reality and then you know you turn your papers in later in the year and you get a first, second round grade coming back.

38:00So it's like, wow, I really have the opportunity to be able to do it. And then when Cleveland happened, you know, I didn't know anything about Cleveland. I knew going into the draft that they had two picks. So statistically, you know, a team having two picks, there's a chance and they need a quarterback. There's a chance that I'm going to end up here. And then when I went to Berea for the first time the next day after the draft, I got to meet Ray Farm. and Jimmy Haslam and Mike Pettit and stuff, and just really taking a look at the roster at the time, I felt a lot of confidence with the pieces that we had that I would be able to go in and be able to be a good fit for the organization.

38:43And ultimately, that wasn't the case. When did you realize that the NFL was different than college? Because obviously, I mean, I imagine I don't know this because I'm not you, and I imagine you'll parlay the information to us, but you're going in, you're dominating college. Like no one can touch you. You're just tremendous. You're polarizing. Everyone wants a piece of money Manziel. And then you go to the Cleveland Browns and you're like, I imagine if I'm you, I would probably be like, yeah, I'm going to do the same exact thing in college. And then you get to the NFL and you're like, wait, it's a job.

39:19It's not just playing on a football field anymore. When was that realization for you? I think probably through the first training camp, you know, as we got out there and they started introducing some defenses, you know, the great thing about Texas A &M and Cliff Kingsbury's offense and the offense that we ran there, it was more predicated on speed, fast, getting defenses uncomfortable. But I wouldn't say we were super dialed in to the X's and O's of the game, right? Maybe you're looking at one hide too high, or if a linebacker's tucked in the box to make a switch and throw a bubble and get the ball on the perimeter and play fast.

39:58When you get to the NFL and you're really starting to learn defenses, I felt overwhelmed. I felt swamped. I didn't learn enough that I needed to in college to be prepared for the NFL. I remember being in practice, and it was probably maybe five days in the training camp, and the defense started putting in an 8-DB package where there's like eight defensive backs walking around everywhere, and there's only three down linemen. you can't tell who's a down lineman or who to block. And there's just little guys all over the field. And I just remember walking off the practice field that day being like, that sucked.

40:37It was a day that was like, I got absolutely put in a blender and just like, this was where you're like, this is what they do, right? You're going to see three down sets, four down sets. You're going to have guys walking around. It's not always going to be cut and dry and four down three linebackers and everything looking perfect. like it did a lot in college. Do you have any regrets? You know, I sit here today with just a lot of regret with how I handled a lot of things. I think I took a lot of my similar attitude and antics with me. I think I got really comfortable in being in a position my first year there of being the backup and really not having a lot of responsibilities.

41:18I think I never truly embraced Cleveland. I think I went into it with a negative mindset from the get-go and never really fully put my heart around it and gave it a chance. Being in Texas my whole life and then going there was just a little bit of a shell shock for me. Look, a lot of people throughout that time supported me. Bought jerseys. The city embraced me. They loved me. there was a lot of hope that I was going to be able to go there and make a difference for a franchise that's been longing for that, right? But, you know, my effort and my determination and time that I could have put into the quarterback position is something that for the rest of my life will always haunt me, that I had the ability to do more and I didn't because my head and my mind and things were in other places that weren't focused on, you know, what I was truly, truly gifted at.

42:22Well, man, thank you so much for being here. I was one of those guys, by the way. I loved watching you in college. I even loved watching you at the draft. I remember where I was when you got drafted. I was out of my seat. I was celebrating, high-fiving everyone every time I've met you. And we've had conversations. You've always been amazing. and I love the person that you're becoming and all the lessons that you have learned. And I love the fact that you are talking to collegiate players and getting them ready to handle the stuff that you had to go through because you didn't really have anyone that knew what you went through because you're a one-of-a-kind.

42:59So thank you very much. It was a one-of-a-kind situation. I've always been a fan of you as well, my friend. You're one of the great ones. So I appreciate you guys having me on today. I hope you have a great rest of your day. Much love. Thanks, man.

43:16Rich Eisen here. We talk a lot about battles in sports. Teams battling through adversity. Athletes fighting for every yard. The toughest warriors I've ever seen, though, aren't on the field. They're kids fighting cancer. They're families standing beside them. Doctors, nurses, caregivers. That's why I'm proud to support Hyundai Hope on Wheels. For over 28 years, they've helped fund pediatric cancer research, raising more than$303 million and supporting over 40 ,000 children. Learn more and donate at HyundaiUSA.com backslash hope on wheels. Rich Eisen here with some advice. If high interest credit card debt is grinding you down, it might be time to call an audible with a SoFi personal loan.

43:54It consolidates your debt into one low monthly payment with no fees required. And with as soon as the same day funding, you can make the right play fast. Call an audible on your debt today at SoFi.com slash debt play. Loans originated by SoFi Bank N.A., member FDIC, Terms and conditions apply. NMLS 696891. Fast funds terms apply at SoFi.com slash debt play. So I moved to the States on Southern 18 in August with no English. I did not play any. I didn't know. I just knew about football that people were running and hitting each other. That's all I know. And my brother played a wide receiver. He coached the wide receivers.

44:30And that time I was like 200 pounds, 190, six foot. I was I was very small, but I was very like clean. a wide receiver type of body. And my brother was like, okay, we're going to try him as a wide receiver and see if he can catch the ball. Couldn't catch the ball. He tried him as a linebacker. There's just too much stuff going on. There's people moving everywhere. So I was like, panic attack. So these punters just put me in a D-line and told me to go get the guy who has the ball. And I was always strong. I was always like a strong athlete from the CrossFit. So I was like, okay, see ball, get ball.

45:05I can do that. And I just start doing it. I just started like, I didn't have the hottest start costing my team so much penalties because I just start grabbing face masks, just throwing people. Yeah, can't do that. Like hip tossing them. Can't do that. Exactly. You see, this is the word that I told my coach. And I was like, coach, I can't do that. What? And he's like, in an accent. And he was like, right, every time after practice, Coach Mitch Olsen, he goes, Ahmed, no, you can't do that. And I'm like, oh, okay, fine. I'm not going to do it. But then one day where the D1, like, and the NFL dream started, I did not know what the NFL was.

45:44One time I was, like, I was watching the NFL and I saw Aaron Donald play. Oh, boy. And I was like, I mean, he was, like, dominating people. And I was like, what high school he goes to? And he was like, bro, that's the NFL. And I was like, NFL, what's that? And he was like, bro, that's the National Football League. I was like, okay, I want to go there. I want to play that. I want to be like that guy. And he was like, okay, I'm going to start taking you to camps, and you got to have to show yourself. I was like, okay, take me. So he just started taking me to, like, winter circle camps and started taking me to, like, all these different camps, and I just started dominating people.

46:19I was literally watching YouTube videos about how to pass rush. And I was like, okay, a guy stopping me from getting to this guy, but there was one guy stopping me, so how to either go through him or go around him. What's the best way? It is that simple, you know? And I just simplified it. It is that simple when you think about it. And I just start dominating. Like I started dominating people from modern day, boss school, five stars, four stars. Like you name it. Pull me at the three, I dominate. Pull me at four, five, six, nine. Pull me whatever. So offers start just rolling in and people start knowing my name and who I was.

46:53And that's why I believe in God, such like a good God. And to be the first Egyptian to ever do it, it's amazing to me. Spancho Danielson, He was the D-line coach back then. Yes. He played with my brother at Azusa Pacific in college. So when I was getting recruited and getting known, he texted me. And he was like, hey, loved your film. And I got excited that Boise State texted me. I was like, wow, brother, check this out. Had you ever heard of Idaho? Never. Never. I only knew like Boise State was the blue field. And I was like, oh, sure. So I literally like committed on the spot. Coach D called me in a virtual meeting and showed me the facility and he was like, I'm coming to your school.

47:35I feel like God called me to be here and best decision I ever made to be at Boise State. And it taught me so much other than football. It taught me how to be a man, how to lead men, how to be myself and just have so much energy and just dominate. And have that mentality of like, I'll do whatever it takes to get there, you know, and just have that toughness and, you know, and just the work ethic. And I'm really grateful for Boise State.

48:03and we're back i am the miz filling in for rich eisen on the rich eisen show rich i i is it show i was that guy and then i would hear all the kids snickering and everything so even when i'm reading anything and i mean anything i will hear everything outside of there but literally being a WWE superstar like we read a lot we do a lot of like reads on teleprompters now and being the host of American Gladiators which will be on Prime Video amazing show it's going to be unreal it has the old and the nostalgia of the old and it brings the new the Gladiators hit harder than ever the contenders are their stories are amazing and their host is incredible Prime Video it's going to be amazing but I gotta tell you, I would practice all the time.

48:57When I first started in WWE, I would go into the pre-tapes room where the teleprompter was. And I would just say, can you put anything up there? And I'll just start reading because I I'm a, I'm a big person on preparation always have been always will be. And so now every time I read something, I literally go, I can hear everything. I can, I can, whenever I mess up a word, I'm like, Oh, I can hear a kid snickering. Like, It's just one of those things. It's crazy to me to be able to now do this and be here talking to you and be able to read on television because I still remember second grade Miz.

49:32But I want to talk about something that everybody is talking about all over the sports world, and that is the New Heights podcast with Taylor Swift. And I know a lot of football people out there are talking like, what does that have to do with football? it's got a lot to do with football because women love taylor swift and men love travis kelsey and they have two different audiences and they're crossing over their audience together looking at taylor swift talk about x's and o's is amazing and we're going to be right back to talk more about it and we're still on roku by the way so i'm still getting used to the radio and tv so back to my Taylor Swift I love seeing her talk about the x's and o's I love seeing them together because I do think it's a cute matchup and knowing Travis for so long like I've known him for 10 years I knew him before this huge huge fame and he is still the same person that I met 10 years ago he's fun and one thing that she said about him that I was like oh that's so true when he walks into a room, the vibes boost.

50:44And it doesn't matter what room it is. So I can just imagine him in a Kansas City locker room. It's unbelievable. It's incredible. What did you guys think of the podcast? Because I know you both listened to all one hour and 44 minutes of it.

51:02You see, I had some stuff to do yesterday, so I didn't quite... You're telling me you don't know about the new album that is coming out with taylor swift i do now she's got a song called canceled and it might be about the drama with blake lively i don't know i'm just reading the tea leaves yeah i i didn't i thank you for informing me i i had no guys you guys are too old for this man you got to get in with the no you got to get in with the now taylor is bringing women to sports she is bringing her fans this is what i'm talking about that's true with football a lot of football fans are like, oh, you know, they always keep cutting to Taylor Swift.

51:38It's like she brings ratings. She brings more fans to football. The owners like more fans because it brings more money. More money means the guys that you love that you're drafting, your fans, can get paid a little more. It's like WWE. When we bring in celebrities to WWE, all our fans are like, why are you bringing in celebrities? What are you doing? Logan Paul? Logan Paul? Logan Paul brings a whole new genre that he has with YouTube. And he'll bring it into WWE. Now, granted, our fans will boo him like no other. And they boo a lot of people. They don't boo Snoop Dogg. They weren't booing Snoop Dogg at SoFi when I was hosting.

52:15And he was giving me a Snoop elbow, pinning me one, two, three. That happened out of nowhere, too. It did happen out of nowhere. Trust me, you have no idea. Boy, would I like to give you the behind the scenes of that one. Well, Mike, you've got a mic and we've got some time. I got 30 seconds. I got 30 seconds. I got a guy in my ear going, you got 30 seconds. I'm like, I don't know how 30 seconds. All right. So I'm in the ring. Shane McMahon gets injured, like really injured. Tears both of his quads. And I'm in there and I'm just, and I know the camera's on me, so I can't say anything because, but I'm going to look like I'm like, all right, all right, here we go.

52:52Here we go. And then Snoop Dogg comes in, sucker punches me, puts it in. He got the thing. But yeah, we'll be right back. There it is. There it is. I knew it was going to mess it up. I knew it. It was a perfect story. You want to impress them on a first date, but also play it cool. So what do you do? I'm Rufy Thorpe, and I wrote and read a real love story about a hinged couple that navigated exactly that. Listen to the free audiobook now.