• Loading stock data...
Monday, September 8, 2025
Fox Analyst and Media Entrepreneur Greg Olsen to Speak at Tuned In Get your ticket now!

Johnny Manziel Says He’s a Cautionary Tale for NIL Era 

Manziel missed out on NIL during his college career, but said his career is a cautionary tale for current athletes.

Nov 30, 2024; College Station, Texas, USA; Former Texas A&M and Cleveland Browns quarterback Johnny Manziel speaks with ESPN's College GameDay analyst Kirk Herbstreit prior to the game against the Texas Longhorns. The Longhorns defeated the Aggies 17-7 at Kyle Field.
Maria Lysaker-Imagn Images

Among the thousands of college athletes who missed out on name, image and likeness, Johnny Manziel ranks among the biggest what-ifs. 

Manziel became a national sensation at Texas A&M when he won the Heisman Trophy as a redshirt freshman quarterback in 2012. Known as Johnny Football, he developed a reputation as a hard partier and flamed out in the NFL after being drafted by the Cleveland Browns 22nd overall in the 2014 NFL Draft. 

While at Texas A&M, Manziel was investigated by the NCAA for accepting money for signing autographs, but was only suspended for half a game for what the organization called an “inadvertent violation.” 

Now Manziel says he’s a cautionary tale for athletes making a lot of money at a young age. 

“I got thrown into a situation that very few people in the college football world had ever had to deal with before,” Manziel said on Front Office Sports Today. “Nobody could have been prepared for what was next, what was going to happen. Now, you know, there are stories like mine and others out there to be able to learn from, to be able to put some safeguards in place for young athletes and young men that are getting a lot of money and a lot of fame and a lot of things that come along with what the NIL world has brought.” 

NIL wasn’t introduced until 2021 when the NCAA amended its policies for athletes to profit off their name, image, and likeness. Manziel was roughly a decade too late. He also isn’t eligible for money from the House settlement, which allows athletes who competed from June 2016 to 2024 to recoup an undisclosed amount of money from their alma mater.

“The one thing that I can hope for is that the universities are more dialed in and detailed and protecting the student athletes and teaching them and educating them,” Manziel said. “And hopefully, you know, the guys are paying attention.”

Manziel, 32, made less than $8 million during his NFL career, according to Spotrac, and now hosts the Glory Days podcast and is on the fourth season of Special Forces on Fox, a show where celebrities compete in a military-training environment. 

Linkedin
Whatsapp
Copy Link
Link Copied
Link Copied

What to Read

Oklahoma-Michigan Was a Battle of Dueling QB NIL Philosophies

Bryce Underwood got into a heated exchange with his teammate.
Aug 23, 2025; Tampa, Florida, USA; Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen (17) leads the team onto the field for warm ups before a game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Raymond James Stadium.

Slow Burn: The NFL’s Private-Equity Era So Far

Three deals have been struck to date. But the league is bullish.
Ohio State Buckeyes quarterback Julian Sayin (10) and linebacker C.J. Hicks (11) shake hands while leaving the field following the NCAA football game at Ohio Stadium on Aug. 30, 2025. Ohio State won 14-7

How Ohio State Rebuilt Its NIL Strategy in the Rev-Share Era

The Buckeyes are staying “aggressive” in the new NIL landscape.

NIL Go Corrects Its Data From $80M in Deals Cleared to $35M,..

It’s another bump in the rocky rollout of the new NIL clearinghouse.

Featured Today

Tennis

The US Open Is Groaning Under the Weight of Its Own Success

New York’s tennis major is more popular than ever.
Dec 21, 2024; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes (15) gets ready to take the field prior to a game against the Houston Texans at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium.
September 5, 2025

How Brazil Game Fits Into NFL’s Plans for World Domination

Friday night’s Chiefs-Chargers game in São Paulo is big by design.
Oct 13, 2024; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts (1) and wide receiver A.J. Brown (11) celebrate their touchdown pass during the second quarter against the Cleveland Browns at Lincoln Financial Field.
September 2, 2025

TV Ratings Just Changed Again. The NFL Will Be the Big Winner

Nielsen’s new viewership system will have a big impact on sports.
Ohio State Buckeyes wide receiver Jeremiah Smith (4) celebrates with offensive lineman Donovan Jackson (74) after a touchdown catch against Notre Dame Fighting Irish in the first quarter during the College Football Playoff National Championship at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta on January 20, 2025.
August 30, 2025

The Most Expensive Roster Year in College Football History

The House settlement created revenue-sharing—and a big NIL loophole.

Alcaraz Beats Sinner, Wins $5M Prize, Reclaims World No. 1

Alcaraz won a record $5 million first prize at the US Open.
Caitlin Clark
September 4, 2025

Caitlin Clark Says She Won’t Return From Injury This Year

She only played 13 games this season.
Angel Reese
September 5, 2025

Angel Reese Suspended For Half-Game After Ripping Teammates

The team is disciplining Reese for criticizing her teammates publicly.
Sponsored

Trailblazer Cal Calamia Is Racing for ‘Advocacy, Storytelling, and Performance’

The marathoner wants excellence—not just inclusion—to be the goal for non-binary athletes.
James Harden
September 4, 2025

James Harden’s Houston Restaurant Shut for Falling $2 Million Behind in Rent

A sign on the door says the locks have been changed.
exclusive
September 3, 2025

Angel Reese Faces Uncertain Future In Chicago After Publicly Torching Teammates 

Some sources say Reese’s future in Chicago may not be reparable.
September 3, 2025

No American Men in US Open Semifinals After 2024 Breakthrough

Two American men played in the semifinals last year.
September 1, 2025

Gareth Bale: MLS Quality Hurt By Low Salaries

Bale said MLS salaries aren’t competitive enough to lure stars from Europe.