At one point late in the 2015 season, it seemed as if quarterback Johnny Manziel was trying to get fired by the Browns so that he could be hired by the Cowboys.
The first part has happened. The second part won’t. At least not for now.
According to David Moore of the Dallas Morning News, the Cowboys aren’t interested in Manziel. Specifically the team has “no intention” to visit with or sign Manziel.
But there’s a caveat. Moore adds that the Cowboys won’t consider Manziel “until he gets his life back in order.”
That could be the best news for Manziel, since it gives him a reason to do whatever he has to do to turn things around. While the reasons for his 10-week stint in rehab last year aren’t known, it’s safe to assume based on published reports and quotes from people like his father that alcohol was one of the problems, if not the only one. Over the past few months, it’s become obvious that he has been drinking alcohol, publicly and brazenly and frequently.
He’s also ignoring the advice of those around him. As one source with knowledge of the situation told PFT, no one can get through to him, and no one can mentor him. His former agent, Erik Burkhardt, tried everything and everyone; Manziel has to decide for himself that he’s going to turn things around.
“Either he’s going to make his own decision to be a professional or he’s not,” the source said. “His choice.”
The possibility of playing for the Cowboys could be the thing that turns it around for him. But even if it does, the Cowboys (or any other team) would need to believe that this time it will stick, because if he ever becomes a full-time NFL starting quarterback, his team won’t want to be worried about the fame once again melting into notoriety.