Manziel’s ‘red flags’ scare away Ticats
TORONTO Leaving no stone unturned certainly seems to apply to the Hamilton Tiger-Cats these days as they try to improve on a winless start to the 2017 CFL season.
In the first instance, an 0-8 start to the season got considerably worse this week when the Ticats made the unconscionable decision to attempt to hire an assistant coach who recently was in the midst of one of the worst sexual assault scandals in the history of NCAA football. With the assistance of the CFL and some early backlash from its fan and sponsor base against the hiring of Art Briles, the Tabbies reversed course and opted not to bring the disgraced former Baylor head coach to the Hammer after all.
A TSN report published Wednesday said the Briles situation wasn’t the only thing that has been preoccupying Hamilton’s brain trust of late.
According to reporters Farhan Lalji and Dave Naylor, the Ticats front office was in Buffalo, N.Y., a week ago to work out another troubled football name — one-time Cleveland Browns quarterback Johnny Manziel.
Manziel, who is on the TigerCats’ negotiation list, has been out of football since the 2015 NFL season. TSN quoted sources saying the Ticats felt there were “too many red flags” with Manziel to sign him despite what was considered a decent workout.
Ticats vice-president of football operations Kent Austin told reporters at practice Wednesday that while Manziel remains on the team’s negotiation list, they have no “imminent” plans to sign the former Heisman Trophy winner.
Manziel, despite a successful college career at Texas A&M, has not been able to follow that up in the pro ranks since the Browns selected him 22nd overall in the 2014 draft.
His lack of success on the field over his two seasons has been further maligned by his off-the-field antics, which included multiple run-ins with the law and a handful of team violations.