Former Heisman Trophy Winner Johnny Manziel was supposed to be the next big thing in sports. He was a first-round draft pick in the 2014 NFL Draft. Many expected him to bring a daunted Cleveland Browns franchise back to glory. But things never worked out for Manziel.
Off-the-field issues stunted his progress. And by the end of the 2015 season, he was out of the NFL.
During a recent appearance on Club Shay Shay with NFL Hall of Famer Shannon Sharpe, the former college star revealed that he lost 40 pounds. When asked how Manziel gave a shocking answer.
“I was 210 lbs. when I left Cleveland, I was 170 lbs. sitting in Vegas that August, September, October. How do you lose 40 lbs.? You’re on a strict diet of blow,” Manziel said to Sharpe.
“At that point in time, man, I would look in a mirror and I didn’t see myself any different than when I was in Cleveland. Until I stepped on a scale at the Cosmopolitan Hotel in Las Vegas, I didn’t realize I had lost 40 pounds at all.”
Johnny Manziel Says He Let Down LeBron James
Manziel had great expectations weighing on his shoulders coming out of college. He had co-signs from the likes of Drake and famed sports analyst Skip Bayless. After LeBron James left the Cleveland Cavaliers to join the Miami Heat in 2010, the city entered a period of darkness in the sports world. And the Cleveland faithful had hoped Manziel would be their Savior.
But he didn’t live up to the hype. Manziel feels like he let a lot of people down with his actions. Particularly LeBron and his long-time business partner Maverick Carter.
“There were a lot of people that I let down. And I truly feel like [Maverick Carter] and LeBron were people that I really let down,” he added.
“What I did, and the way I carried myself, and the way that I was in my time in Cleveland was pure, blatant disrespect to them giving me everything that I ever needed to be successful.”
Johnny Entered a Period of Depression
After the Browns released Manziel at the end of the 2015 season, no teams picked him up – despite him being in the prime of his career. During that time Manziel says that he went through a period of depression. So depressed that not even LeBron could get him to leave the house.
“LeBron would text me every week to come over to the house and watch a game or play poker with the boys and just tried to be there,” Manziel said.
“And I was so depressed for the first time in my life that even my biggest role model and inspiration in my life couldn’t get me out of bed to come and hang out with him.”