Johnny Football is still going through the CFL’s process in hopes of playing in the league next season.
“He still has a few more hurdles to jump here in December,” vice president of football operations Kent Austin told a Hamilton radio station. “When the process is complete and the report is given to the commissioner, then I’m sure the commissioner will reach back out to us and let us know where things stand.
“The deadline has been extended into January and we’ll just wait and see what the outcome is.”
Manziel was charged with assault of former girlfriend Colleen Crowley. He reached a dismissal agreement that required him to complete an anger management class, attend a domestic violence impact panel and participate in a substance-abuse program. His two-year-old case for assault has been dismissed.
That could’ve been one of the requirements laid out by commissioner Randy Ambrosie in order to have Manziel’s contract registered. Erik Burkhardt, who represents Manziel, and the Ticats have been in contact.
“I know that Kent [Austin] has some good conversations with the agent. It’s more in their hands than our hands. I don’t know whether he will be or whether he won’t but we’ve had quite a few discussions about just that. So we’ll see what happens,” head coach June Jones said in a conference call announcing his contract extension with the club.
The 24-year-old has been on the Ticats neg list since his days at Texas A&M, where he became the first freshman to capture the Heisman Trophy. The Cleveland Browns selected him in the first round, No. 22 overall, in the 2014 NFL draft and he spent two seasons with the club, posting a 2-6 record as a starter before being released March 11, 2016. Jones believes he can plug him into his offensive system “very easily”.
“I worked him out twice and his arm strength is much better than I thought it was. I really think if he makes a commitment to come up here for three or four years he’ll write is own ticket if he wants to go down and play in the NFL,” the 64-year-old said.
“It will be a Warren Moon situation to be quite honest. I just think he has the potential to be a great football player.”
