With Johnny Manziel’s NFL future in doubt, many have wondered whether the former NCAA star would consider going to Canada in order to re-build his image and extend his football career.
Manziel’s skill set would be an ideal fit for the CFL as the diminutive quarterback has high-end arm strength, an impressive ability to scramble and move around the pocket, and the 2014 first round pick of the Cleveland Browns could be marketing tool for a league that lacks overall star power.
“We try not to speculate on situations like that,” CFL commissioner Jeffrey Orridge told Kevin Seifert of ESPN.com. “And I really can’t speculate too much on hypotheticals. But I can tell you that what’s paramount to us is ensuring the success of an athlete, while at the same time preserving and promoting the integrity of the league and the game.”
The former Heisman winner was released by the Cleveland Browns in March after a tumultuous two-year run with the club, and has not garnered any interest in the open market. He also faces a four-game suspension for violating the league’s substance abuse policy.
It remains unclear if Manziel has interest in playing quarterback in the CFL as former NFL quarterback Tim Tebow showed no interest in coming to Canada once his NFL career faltered and has already decided to pursue a career in baseball.
The Hamilton Tiger-Cats hold Manziel’s negotiation rights so Orridge says it is up to the individual team to decide if they want to bring in Manziel given his past history of the off-the-field incidents, but noted he would step in if any situation warranted it.
“It is their charge to evaluate the talent and to bring that talent forward,” Orridge said. “To be candid, if there is a situation that we believe warrants additional input, we certainly want to provide that to the team. We’re obviously charged with making sure that the integrity of the league and the integrity of our brand is perpetuated.”
Manziel went 2–6 in his eight career NFL starts. He completed 57 per cent of his passes for 1,675 yards with seven touchdowns and seven interceptions.
