STEELERS TRASH EX-MATE HARRISON
Johnny Manziel is one step closer to returning to pro football. The Canadian Football League announced Thursday that it will approve a contract for the troubled former Heisman Trophy winner to play in 2018. “Since last summer, the Canadian Football League has been engaged in a thorough process to determine the eligibility of Johnny Manziel,” the league said in a statement. “This process has been conducted with the cooperation of Mr. Manziel and independent of the team which currently holds his CFL rights, the Hamilton Tiger-Cats. “It has included an ongoing assessment by an independent expert on the issue of violence against women, a review by legal counsel, and an inperson interview of Mr. Manziel conducted by the Commissioner. As well, Mr. Manziel has been required to meet a number of conditions set by the league. “As a result of this process, the Commissioner (Randy Ambrosie) has now informed Mr. Manziel and the Tiger-Cats he is prepared to approve a contract for Mr. Manziel should one be negotiated. The process that led to this decision does, however, continue. Mr. Manziel has been informed he must continue to meet a number of conditions in order to remain eligible.” Manziel worked out for the Tiger-Cats in August but failed to convince the franchise he was ready to quarterback another team. A source had told TSN that Manziel came with “too many red flags” related to his history of frequent partying and drinking, as well as a domestic violence charge that was dismissed last month. After working out for Hamilton, Manziel activated the team’s 10-day window, which the CFL extended for further evaluation. In September, he met with Ambrosie to discuss what he needed to accomplish to play in the CFL.
After ruling Manziel ineligible for the 2017 season, the league announced that Hamilton would hold his rights until Nov. 30 before extending again into January.
Manziel was drafted by the Browns with the 22nd pick in the 2014 NFL draft, spending two seasons in Cleveland before the team cut him due to poor play and off-field issues. He went 2-6 as a starter with 1,675 passing yards, seven touchdowns and seven interceptions. — Jake Becker
The Steelers will not be toasting James Harrison on New Year’s Eve.
The former staple in Pittsburgh is now a New England Patriot after being released earlier this week, and his former teammates are airing all his dirty laundry in his old locker room.
Pittsburgh center Maurkice Pouncey commenced the campaign when he noted that the Steelers didn’t want to release Harrison, but he forced his way out. An ESPN report added that players “witnessed Harrison sleeping in a recliner during position meetings and snoring loudly while outside linebackers coach Joey Porter tried to teach.”
While Harrison was either lounging on his recliner or exiting the stadium early, there is the possibility that he stored a bunch of knowledge before leaving Pittsburgh behind.
“If he did that, that’d be real fugazi, lame, L-12, pull-up-on’em type … you can’t just take the whole playbook,” Steelers linebacker Bud Dupree said, according to the Post-Gazette. “Now you’re going too far. But he may have did that. You never know. He may be at that point where he’s so mad, he probably just said, ‘All right, I don’t really know the playbook this year, but I’m gonna take the whole playbook to Bill (Belichick) and let him do what he does.’”
Harrison is 39 and in his 15th NFL season. He played 15 games with the Bengals in 2013, but has otherwise been a Steeler over his career. He played in five games this season. — Kevin Armstrong