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Johnny Manziel Discusses Offers for Impermissible Benefits During College Career

Adam Wells@adamwells1985X.com LogoFeatured ColumnistDecember 2, 2020

Former Cleveland Browns quarterback Johnny Manziel between drills at his alma mater during Texas A&M's football Pro Day in College Station, Texas, Tuesday, March 27, 2018. (AP Photo/Michael Wyke)
Michael Wyke/Associated Press

Former Heisman Trophy winner Johnny Manziel opened up about receiving impermissible benefits during his college career.

During an appearance on the YNK: You Know What I Mean? podcast, Manziel discussed people offering him money to do favors for them while he was playing at Texas A&M (warning: contains profanity):

Darren Rovell @darrenrovell

Seven years after I was investigating Johnny Manziel for getting paid to sign autographs while still in school, Johnny Manziel admits in interview he got paid while in school. Promises to go into more detail later. (Warning on language...) https://t.co/RZubZAyt44

Rumors and speculation about Manziel making money off of his name while playing for the Aggies is nothing new. 

Darren Rovell and Justine Gubar of ESPN's Outside the Lines reported in 2013 that the NCAA was investigating Manziel for potentially receiving money "for signing hundreds of autographs on photos and sports memorabilia in January."

Rovell and Gubar reported Manziel agreed to the signings for a "five-figure flat fee" when he was in Miami to do press during the week leading up to the 2013 BCS National Championship Game between Notre Dame and Alabama. 

Manziel did receive a modest suspension in which he had to sit out the first half of Texas A&M's 2013 season opener against Rice, but the NCAA ultimately ruled that he didn't accept money. 

Texas A&M went 9-4 in 2013 and defeated Duke 52-48 in the Peach Bowl in what turned out to be Manziel's final college game. The 27-year-old played two seasons in the NFL with the Cleveland Browns before being released in March 2016.