Johnny Manziel Rehab: Was Skip Bayless Right All Along?

Johnny Football became Johnny Rehab after checking into a treatment center last week. One of the interesting sub plots to all of this was the fact that ESPN First Take‘s controversial talking head Skip Bayless predicted this would happen months ago.

According to a statement made by Manziel’s family friend and advisor Brad Beckworth, Johnny Manziel entered a treatment facility to better himself and receive the help he needs. The Cleveland Browns also released a statement to show their support behind the decision.

“Johnny knows there are areas in which he needs to improve in order to be a better family member, friend and teammate and he thought the off-season was the right time to take this step.”

Months earlier, ESPN’s Skip Bayless went on record to claim Johnny Football was really Johnny Alcoholic on a December broadcast. Here’s what Bayless had to say.

“I believe Johnny Manziel continues to have a problem with alcohol. And I believe…that it is time for Johnny to get some help. He continues to lie to his executives, to his coaches, to his teammates, to the media, and most of all, he continues to lie to himself.”

So was Bayless right about Manziel in the end? Apparently so. And it seems Johnny is heeding Skip’s prophetic advice. ESPN is reporting that Manziel voluntarily entered rehab to improve himself.

“The quarterback is voluntarily entering treatment as a direct result of his lifestyle away from the field, and he informed people in his circle last week that he wants to “figure out his value system,” a source told ESPN.

Johnny Manziel’s commitment to football was always called into question because of his hard partying ways. At Texas A&M, where he developed the moniker “Johnny Football,” the collegiate standout was both a star on and off the field. But coming into the NFL Draft, many wondered whether the undersized quarterback could adjust to the spped of the NFL and if his dramatic ad-lib plays could succeed at the highest level.

Photos of him partying with Justin Bieber and Floyd Mayweather only further clouded his image. When given the chance to start late in the year, Manziel posted pedestrian numbers before injuring himself in Week 16 and being placed on season-ending injured reserve.

As reported by Inquistr, the last straw may have came when Manziel threw a party before the last game of the year and missed his rehab assignment the following day. Johnny disputes claims that he threw a party that may also have resulted in the suspension of troubled wide receiver Josh Gordon as well, but by then the damage was done.

Johnny Manziel knows he has a problem. Hopefully this stint in rehab is the first step to fixing it.