Argos’ Marcus Ball on Johnny Manziel: nobody cares about what you used to be

Toronto Argonaut linebacker Marcus Ball seems decidedly unimpressed by the potential arrival of Johnny Manziel to the CFL.

Ball, who won a Grey Cup with the Argos in November, took to Instagram on Friday morning to offer his opinion on Manziel who has been given the green light to play in the CFL next season.

“Johnny who?!? #Nobodycareaboutwhat you used to be. Line that shi up #6 #GreyCupChampion #TodayIsTheDay”

Manziel is a former Heisman Trophy winner at Texas A&M and was selected in the first round, No. 22 overall, by the Cleveland Browns in the 2014 NFL draft. But his professional career fizzled – he went 2-6 as a starter in the NFL – as his personal life unravelled. His partying lifestyle and off-field issues, including an alleged domestic violence incident were a big enough concern that the league went through an extensive vetting process before allowing him to sign with a team. The Hamilton Tiger-Cats, the traditional rivals of Ball’s Argos, own Manziel’s rights and have nine days to offer him a contract.

Ball is a two-time Grey Cup champion with the Argos, garnered an East all-star selection in 2017 and is well-respected throughout the league for his leadership. His post collected more than 500 likes in the first hour – teammate Rico Murray offered a comment in support – and it will be interesting to see if other players echo his sentiments.