After flaming out in the NFL, getting banned from ever playing in the CFL again, and watching the AAF go under due to money issues, Johnny Manziel seemed to be headed for his final chance with the return of the XFL.
Well, it doesn’t sound like that will be happening anytime soon. During an interview with Thomas Bassinger of the Tampa Bay Times, XFL commissioner Oliver Luck boldly stated he believes the current crop of quarterbacks in the league “are better” than Manziel at this point in his career.
“I would argue that the players we have are better than those guys, to be honest with you. Johnny has his own history, and we have coaches from the CFL (Canadian Football League) who have seen him close up. I watched Trent when he was with the Colts, and I watched him when he was with the AAF. He was in the draft pool. Coaches and scouts looked at him and didn’t think he was going to help their team. I think the guys we have on our teams are the best 560 that aren’t playing in the National Football League.”
The XFL announced quarterback assignments for its teams in October, with Landry Jones (Dallas Renegades), Cardale Jones (DC Defenders) and Aaron Murray (Tampa Bay Vipers) among the notable names in the league.
Manziel wasn’t eligible for the league’s inaugural draft due to him not entering the draft pool.
The 2012 Heisman Trophy winner had previously stated how much he would love to play for the Houston Roughnecks.
“It’s a stone’s throw from College Station,” Manziel told reporters at a TriStar collectors show in June. “A lot of Aggies drove from Houston to College Station. Houston’s a great city that’ll always be near and dear to me.”
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The XFL season kicks off on Feb. 8 with the Seattle Dragons taking on the DC Defenders.
