Johnny Manziel’s Troubles Continue
One would think that a person would learn from repeated mistakes, but NFL quarterback Johnny Manziel’s troubles continue.
Manziel’s latest misstep involves a mansion he rented in the Los Angeles area this past April. According to The Dallas Morning News, the former first-round draft pick of the Cleveland Browns has been sued by the owner (Nicholas Goodwin) of the $4.5 million property for damage to the home, which was allegedly caused by Johnny Manziel and his guests.
Goodwin’s lawyer, Niki Ghazian, filed a lawsuit which claims the plaintiff has proof that Manziel and his friends are responsible for “trashing” the home.
“Surveillance footage shows that Mr. Manziel threw large parties on both nights, causing extensive damage to the subject property,” Ghazian said. “Evidence suggests that Mr. Manziel and his guests were consuming drugs and alcohol.”
Goodwin is suing Johnny Manziel for more than $40,000 in damages, as reported by ESPN. The lawsuit states that the interior of the mansion sustained significant damage during Manziel’s stay, which included burn marks, wine stains, a broken door and a broken glass table. The plaintiff asserts that the physical damage caused by Manziel and his guests will require an expenditure of over $19,000 to repair.
Johnny Manziel sued for $40,000 in damage to L.A. rental house https://t.co/JUjjorlpIu pic.twitter.com/Nw1WxrzcuC
— NBC Sports (@NBCSports) June 4, 2016
This incident is just the latest controversy involving Manziel, who has caused his former team and the NFL a great deal of grief during his brief time as an NFL quarterback.
The Cleveland Browns drafted Johnny Manziel with the 22nd overall pick in the 2014 NFL Draft, confident they had acquired a player who would lift the franchise to new heights. What happened instead was a two-year run with the team that included poor on-field performance, and even worse personal conduct away from football.
Trouble began early in his tenure with the Browns, as the team expressed concern over photos that appeared to show Manziel drinking and partying at various nightspots.
Despite entering the NFL with high expectations, Manziel had difficulty earning playing time in Cleveland. Rumors began to swirl that his work ethic was not good, and that he had a drinking problem. Manziel admitted that he didn’t take football very seriously during his rookie year, and he later checked into a rehab facility in early 2015.
RT @NFLonCBS: Report: Johnny Manziel has checked into rehab pic.twitter.com/9PTwJnHLoa http://t.co/xqWkLpXLOO
— IAmSlaveMachineUsa (@SlaveMachineUsa) February 4, 2015
Once released from rehab, Manziel seemed contrite, as indicated by statements he made to CNN at the time.
“I would like to thank my family, friends, the Browns organization, my teammates and Browns fans everywhere for your patience, understanding and support during my stay at Caron. The doctors and staff have been amazing and what I’ve learned in the last couple of months has been tremendous. I owe private apologies to a lot of people that I disappointed but a very public one to the Browns organization and the fans that I let down. I take full responsibility for my actions and it’s my intention to work very hard to regain everyone’s trust and respect.”
Unfortunately, Manziel’s words did not match his actions following his stint in rehab. He continued his partying ways, which were visually documented by those around him at various clubs. He was investigated by police for two separate incidents that involved his ex-girlfriend, Colleen Crowley. Crowley claimed that Manziel physically assaulted her in both instances.
To further complicate matters, Manziel played erratically when the Browns gave him opportunities to take the field. The team gave the 2012 Heisman Trophy winner multiple chances to show improvement both on and off the football field, but by March, 2016, the Browns had seen enough. Cleveland’s management decided to release the former Texas A&M star known as “Johnny Football,” making him a free agent.
More than three months later, Johnny Manziel is still unsigned — a clear indication that other teams around the league are very skeptical of Manziel’s future prospects as an NFL quarterback.
[Photo by LM Otero/AP Images]
