Total Pro Sports
Former Cleveland Browns quarterback and Heisman Trophy winner Johnny Manziel thought he was close to signing with one of the NFL’s marquee franchises in a move that could have saved his career.
Johnny Manziel, who won the 2012 Heisman Trophy at Texas A&M, entered the NFL with plenty of hype as a rookie 11 years ago. After Jerry Jones made the tough decision to pass on “Johnny Football” in favor of Zack Martin, Manziel was finally taken 22nd overall by the Browns in the star-studded 2014 Draft.
Unfortunately, Manziel’s career ended as quickly as it started. He didn’t take the film study seriously and dealt with numerous off-the-field issues, culminating in his release from the Browns in 2016. Manziel was never picked up by an NFL team again.
During an appearance on Maxx Crosby’s “The Rush” podcast, Manziel claimed that he felt as though he was close to signing with Andy Reid’s Kansas City Chiefs in 2017. Manziel said the legendary head coach “saw something in” him and that they met in Kansas City, but the Chiefs went in another direction and drafted Patrick Mahomes 10th overall:
“I thought I was gonna sign in Kansas City the same year that Mahomes got drafted. So, I think if they wouldn’t have taken a quarterback, which thank God they did, I think I could have ended up there.”
Wild: Johnny Manziel thought he was going to sign with the Chiefs in 2017, which would have prevented Kansas City from drafting Patrick Mahomes.
“I thought I was gonna sign in Kansas City the same year that Mahomes got drafted. So I think they wouldn’t have taken a quarterback,… pic.twitter.com/GJbMRx6tY2
— Dov Kleiman (@NFL_DovKleiman) August 21, 2025
There are plenty of “what ifs” regarding the Chiefs’ superstar QB, who’s emerged as the face of the NFL, and the 2017 NFL Draft. The Washington Commanders reportedly tried trading for Mahomes.
The 32-year-old Johnny Manziel hinted at an NFL comeback attempt last month, but that feels like a pipe dream considering he last played in the league 10 years ago.
Reid is one of the greatest offensive-minded coaches in NFL history, and he could have saved Johnny Manziel’s career if the opportunity had come along. Obviously, the Chiefs have no regrets with how things played out, but it is a fascinating “what if” scenario.
Coach Reid did wonders with Donovan McNabb, Michael Vick and Alex Smith before turning Mahomes into a superstar. If the Chiefs signed Manziel and passed on Mahomes, he could have worked with a Hall of Fame coach and a star-studded supporting cast led by Travis Kelce, Tyreek Hill, Kareem Hunt, Eric Fisher and Mitchell Schwartz.
Manziel has owned up to the problems that led to his disappointing NFL career, but Cleveland is also a renowned quarterback graveyard. The organization shoulders plenty of blame, too.
