MANZIEL MYSERY: Troubled Browns QB probed by Dallas cops after feud with ex-gal pal
JOHNNY MANZIEL continues to make far more news off the field than he has on it during his first two NFL seasons.
Patrol officers were dispatched at 2 a.m. Saturday to investigate whether an altercation between Manziel and a former girlfriend included “a possible assault,” according to a report released by the Fort Worth Police Department.
The troubled Browns quarterback was not arrested, although the unidentified 23-year-old woman told police she had been involved in a disturbance with Manziel “earlier in the evening in Dallas,” according to the FWPD’s press release of the incident.
The ex-girlfriend also admitted to police that she was worried about Manziel’s “well-being,” prompting a search for the former Heisman Trophy winner.
“In an effort to follow-up on this, Fort Worth officers attempted to locate him, by calling cell phone numbers associated with him, checking locations within our jurisdiction, and searching the area with the assistance of our Air One Unit,” the police statement said. “It was later determined by officers that the ex-boyfriend was safe and in no danger.
“The Fort Worth Police Department is actively working with Dallas PD to determine if a criminal offense occurred.”
It was unclear if Manziel actually was questioned by authorities, but the former Texas A&M star has been unable to stay out of trouble since the Browns selected him in the first round of the 2014 NFL Draft.
“We are aware (of this latest incident) and are looking into it,” NFL spokesman Greg Aiello said in an email.
Manziel, who spent time in alcohol rehab last spring, was pulled over in October by Ohio cops for an incident involving then-girlfriend Colleen Crowley. It was unclear by the Fort Worth police statement if Crowley was the woman involved in Saturday’s incident, although there have been multiple reports of her recently breaking up with Manziel.
In October, Avon (Ohio) police pulled over Manziel’s white Nissan after an altercation with Crowley. She told police that Manziel “hit me a couple times” after she threw his wallet out of the car window. She declined to press charges and Manziel denied hitting her.
Manziel called the incident “a dumb public argument on the way home,” and the NFL declined to take disciplinary action.
Still, Manziel was benched by Cleveland in November after video surfaced of him partying in Texas during the team’s bye week. He also was fined by the Browns for missing concussion treatment on the day of their season finale after he reportedly was spotted in Las Vegas that weekend while wearing a blond wig as a disguise.
Since the season ended, Manziel also was spotted partying with Mavericks forward Chandler Parsons and Stars center Tyler Seguin at a concert and filmed drinking at a Dallas-area bar during the AFC title game last Sunday.
Manziel doesn’t appear to be part of the Browns’ future plans after starting six games for Cleveland in 2015 with a 2-4 record and a 79.4 QB rating. Cowboys legend Troy Aikman told Sports Illustrated earlier this week that he believes either Manziel or Washington’s Robert Griffin III could land in Dallas next season as Tony Romo’s backup.