Most Talked-About Controversies Linked to Johnny Manziel

A closer look at the most debated and controversial moments involving Johnny Manziel.

Johnny Manziel, known as "Johnny Football," is a former American football quarterback notable for his electrifying college career at Texas A&M, where he became the first freshman to win the Heisman Trophy. He played professionally for the Cleveland Browns (NFL), and later had stints in the CFL, AAF, and Fan Controlled Football. Despite his college success, his professional career was marred by off-field issues and failed to live up to expectations.

Sections (5)

Full Timeline Early Life & Education Career & Achievements Challenges & Struggles Controversies & Scandals

June 2012: June 2012 arrest

In June 2012, Johnny Manziel was arrested and charged with failure to produce identification.

June 29, 2012: Arrest and Misdemeanor Charges

On June 29, 2012, Johnny Manziel was arrested and charged with disorderly conduct, failure to produce identification, and possession of a fictitious driver's license following a late-night fight in College Station, Texas.

January 2013: NCAA Investigation

In January 2013, the NCAA investigated Johnny Manziel for allegedly accepting payments for autographs.

July 2013: Guilty Plea

In July 2013, Johnny Manziel pleaded guilty to failure to produce identification stemming from a June 2012 arrest, and the other two charges were dismissed.

August 22, 2014: Fined by NFL

On August 22, 2014, Johnny Manziel was fined $12,000 by the NFL for a hand gesture during a preseason game. Brian Hoyer was named the starter over Manziel for the opening regular-season game.

2014: Polarizing Pre-Draft Athlete

Prior to the 2014 NFL draft, Johnny Manziel became one of the most polarizing athletes in pre-draft history.

October 2015: Pulled over by Police

In October 2015, Johnny Manziel was pulled over by a policeman after fighting in his car with his then-girlfriend, Colleen Crowley, and admitted to having had some alcoholic drinks earlier that afternoon.

January 30, 2016: Altercation with Colleen Crowley

On January 30, 2016, an altercation between Johnny Manziel and Colleen Crowley at a downtown Dallas hotel led to allegations of domestic violence. Crowley stated that Manziel forced her into a car, pulled her by the hair, and threatened to kill both her and himself.

February 5, 2016: Criminal Investigation and Agent Departure

On February 5, 2016, the Dallas Police Department announced they were opening a criminal investigation into Johnny Manziel, based on a claim of domestic violence involving his ex-girlfriend, Colleen Crowley. Also on February 5, Manziel's agent, Erik Burkhardt, announced that he would no longer represent Manziel.

June 24, 2016: Attorney's Text and Father's Statement

On June 24, 2016, Manziel's attorney, Bob Hinton, accidentally sent a text message to the AP regarding Manziel's defense in his domestic violence case, expressing concerns about Manziel's ability to stay clean. On the same day, Manziel's father, Paul, told ESPN that his son was a "druggie" and hoped he would go to jail.

June 30, 2016: NFL Suspension

On June 30, 2016, Johnny Manziel was suspended for the first four games of the 2016 NFL season for violating the league's substance abuse policy.

December 2, 2016: Plea Agreement Finalized

On December 2, 2016, Johnny Manziel and prosecutors finalized a plea agreement in which Manziel agreed to undergo counseling and have his conduct monitored by prosecutors for up to a year or face prosecution.

2019: Alouettes Release Manziel

In 2019, Johnny Manziel was released by the Alouettes on orders from the CFL after league officials determined that he had "contravened" the terms of his CFL contract. The CFL also barred him from signing with any other CFL team.