Sep 16, 2023; College Station, Texas, USA; Former Texas A&M Aggies player Johnny Manziel watches from the sideline during the first half of the game between the Aggies and the Louisiana Monroe Warhawks at Kyle Field. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-Imagn Images Troy Taormina-Imagn Images

Oklahoma QB John Mateer Shades Texas A&M Legend Johnny Manziel

Originally posted on Texas A&M Aggies on SI
By Jon Alfano | Last updated Sep 21, 2025 10:52 AM ET

Texas A&M Aggies legend Johnny Manziel is certainly one of the most famous college football quarterbacks of the past 20 years. Not always for good reason, particularly when he got to the NFL, but his electrifying play has been something that many quarterbacks have tried to replicate.

One of the newest comparables is also one of the more successful ones: Oklahoma Sooners quarterback John Mateer. Mateer, who transferred to Oklahoma from Washington State this offseason, has a similar "backyard football" style of play, being a gunslinger who can keep plays alive with his feet. As the Sooners look like a new team offensively this season, Mateer has even emerged as a potential Heisman candidate if he keeps up his strong play.

However, it seems that Mateer isn't too interested in hearing the Manziel comparisons.

John Mateer Cracks Joke at Johnny Manziel's Expense

Following Saturday's 24-17 victory over Auburn, Mateer was asked about his nickname of "Money Mateer." The nickname is very similar to "Money Manziel," which was very present during the Aggies quarterback's playing days despite "Johnny Football" being a far more popular moniker.

However, Mateer made it clear that he is his own quarterback, in cold fashion at that.

"I'm going to church in the morning," Mateer told reporters, per George Stoia of Sooner Scoop.

Manziel's off-field antics became somewhat infamous throughout his career. At Texas A&M, he was arrested ahead of the 2012 season and investigated for allegedly selling autographs in January of 2013, which earned him a half-game suspension for the first game of that season.

Those weren't great obviously, but they were at least somewhat manageable. Unfortunately, the same can't be said for his issues during his NFL career. Selected No. 22 overall in the 2014 NFL Draft by the Cleveland Browns, Manziel's professional career was cut short by off-field incidents, most notably substance abuse issues that forced him into rehab in early 2015. He lasted just two years in the NFL, and later stints in the Canadian Football League, American Alliance of Football and Fan Controlled Football didn't go much better.

Despite all that, Manziel remains an iconic player in college football history due to just how fun he was to watch.

Mateer has a way to go before he can stand alongside Manziel in that regard, but if he ends up leading the Sooners on a run this season - and hopefully stays out of trouble along the way - perhaps he could enter that conversation.

This article first appeared on Texas A&M Aggies on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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