The Heisman winner swaps his helmet for gloves, moving from the gridiron to the UFC Apex to settle a social media rivalry in his high-stakes boxing debut.
Texas A&M legend Johnny Manziel's "comeback'' is easy to explain, if you look at it the right way.
I mean no slight here when I say that Manziel, 33, has an addictive personality - one that's gotten him into trouble, of course.
But that addictive personality also draws him to compete. And draws him to the spotlight.
And so ... he's back. And while critics are giving him the business here, there's really nothing wrong with it.
Even though his "comeback'' is about boxing.
Dubbed "Johnny Football," Manziel lit up College Station and the college football landscape during his breakout freshman season at quarterback with the Aggies. His efforts netted him the prestigious Heisman Trophy, becoming the first freshman to take home the title.
After two seasons in Aggieland, Manziel chose to head to the NFL, where he was selected by the Cleveland Browns at No. 22 overall in the 2014 NFL Draft. With a franchise that is not especially known for producing great quarterbacks, he struggled to replicate the success he found in college.
Combined with the on-field slump, Manziel battled off-the-field issues throughout his short stint in Cleveland, which eventually led to the team releasing him in 2015. He would bounce around the Canadian Football League (CFL) and other pro leagues for a few years but never made a return to the NFL.
Manziel stepped away from football in 2022 and has yet to make a return. However, recent news revealed that he is interested in making a comeback in another sport.
Manziel is set to face off with another newly minted fighter in social-media influencer Bob Menery in his debut.
The fight is scheduled for a few weeks from now on May 23 and will be held inside the UFC Apex in Las Vegas.
Now, Manziel steps into the ring to showcase his boxing talents, or potentially lack thereof, in a unexpected twist that would sound like a joke if it was reported 12 years ago.
Is it a joke now? Can he fight?
As a very young boy, Manziel was athletically superior across the board. He was a championship-level golfer as a little kid. And then there was football and most everything else he tried his hand at.
So, no. This doesn't have to be a joke. And yes, maybe, at this level, he can fight.
Is this a marketing tactic? A way to make a buck? I won't argue against all of that.
But Manziel will always be two things: A legend for Texas A&M, and a personality addicted to the action.