Manziel reveals he tried to commit suicide
Former Browns quarterback Johnny Manziel revealed in an upcoming documentary he tried to commit suicide after being cut by the team in 2016. Manziel, who was drafted by the Browns in 2014 following a wildly successful college career at Texas A&M, said in the Netflix documentary “Untold: Johnny Football” that a drug addiction contributed to his downfall.
Manziel said he lost 40 pounds after going on a “$5 million bender.” He was also in legal trouble at the time on charges he allegedly hit and threatened his then-girlfriend.
At his low point, the 2012 Heisman Trophy winner tried to end his life.
“I had planned to do everything I wanted to do at that point in my life, spend as much money as I possibly could and then my plan was to take my life,” Manziel said in the documentary, which is scheduled to be released next week. “I wanted to get as bad as humanly possible to where it made sense, and it made it seem like an excuse and an out for me.”
Manziel said when he pulled the trigger the gun malfunctioned.
“Still to this day, don’t know what happened. But the gun just clicked on me,” he said.
Manziel was released by the Browns in 2016 after playing 14 games in two seasons.
The 30-year-old tried several comebacks but never returned to the NFL.
New Hall of Famers
Revis Island has a new home in “Football Heaven.”
After Joe Klecko and Fireman Ed got the green-clad crowd roaring “J-E-T-S! Jets! Jets! Jets!” four-time All-Pro cornerback Darrelle Revis took his spot in the Pro Football Hall of Fame at Canton, Ohio Saturday.
“It’s an honor to be here, to stand among the greats,” the soft-spoken Revis said.
A first-ballot inductee, Revis was so dominant that opposing quarterbacks stopped throwing the ball his way.
He won a Super Bowl in his only season with the Patriots before returning home to New York and finished his career with seven Pro Bowl selections.
“To the Jets fans, for all the boos and cheers when I was drafted 14th overall to burning my jersey when I signed with the Patriots to now being here in Canton, I guess it’s safe to say we’ve been through a lot together,” Revis said. “Thank you for believing in me and supporting me every step of the way. You will always have a place to stay on Revis Island.”
Klecko, a fan favorite in New York, also was among nine members of the Class of 2023 enshrined at Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium.
A late-arriving crowd filled with Jets and Browns fans came for Revis, Klecko and local hero Joe Thomas for the week of festivities that included Cleveland’s 21-16 victory over the Jets in the exhibition opener Thursday.
Zach Thomas, the five-time All-Pro linebacker for the Dolphins, kicked off the ceremony.
DeMarcus Ware, the fourtime All-Pro outside linebacker, talked about growing up in a tough environment in Alabama and once having a gun held to his head when he was in college at Troy. He thanked his mother for providing for her family as a single parent and forgave his dad for not being there.
Bengals cornerback Ken Riley was inducted three years after his death. Riley, a dual-threat quarterback at Florida A&M, was moved to defense by coach
Paul Brown after he was drafted in the sixth round in 1969 and finished with 65 interceptions in 15 seasons, all with the Bengals.
Chuck Howley, the only Super Bowl MVP from a losing team, was inducted 50 years after his last game.
The 87-year-old Howley, a five-time All-Pro linebacker for the Cowboys, couldn’t attend the ceremony.
Dan Coryell, the longtime Chargers coach and architect of the dynamic “Air Coryell” passing offense, was inducted posthumously.
Bears sign TE Lewis
The Bears signed veteran tight end Marcedes Lewis toa one-year contract.
The 39-year-old Lewis — entering his 18th season — gives the Bears a blocking tight end to complement Cole Kmet and help protect quarterback Justin Fields. He spent the past five years with Green Bay after playing his first 12 with Jacksonville.
The 6-foot-6-inch, 267pound Lewis has 432 receptions for 5,084 yards and 39 touchdowns over 251 games and 221 starts.
He is one of three tight ends, along with Tony Gonzalez and Jason Witten, with at least 200 regular-season starts and 400 receptions.
Hooker: $24m deal
The Cowboys and safety Malik Hooker agreed on a $24 million, three-year contract extension.
Hooker was entering the final year of a two-year contract he signed with the Cowboys after a disappointing four-year career with the Colts, who drafted him 15th overall in 2017.
Okudah to be back
Falcons cornerback Jeff Okudah is expected to return early this season after suffering a right ankle injury in Friday's practice.
Falcons coach Arthur Smith said the team received “very positive news” on Okudah.
“We think he has a great chance to be back in the early part of the season,” Smith said. "We feel really good for Jeff, all things considered.”
The report from Smith was good news after Okudah had to be carted off the field, unable to put weight on his foot.
The Falcons acquired Okudah, the No. 3 overall pick in 2020, from Detroit for a fifthround pick as part of their offseason overhaul of the defense.
Shatley returns
Jaguars offensive lineman Tyler Shatley was back at practice three days after dealing with an irregular heartbeat. Coach Doug Pederson said Shatley went into atrial fibrillation — a rapid heartbeat — following a hot and humid practice Wednesday. Shatley, 32, was in full pads Saturday and doing some light work with the second-team offense. He sat out 11-on-11 drills ... Josh Sills, a reserve offensive lineman for the Eagles, has been acquitted of felony rape and kidnapping charges in Ohio and will be returning to the team's active roster. Sills appeared in one game last season.