Johnny Manziel opens up on mental struggles during NFL career
Johnny Manziel will go down as one of the biggest 'what-ifs' in NFL history, as he was never able to live up to the expectations the Cleveland Browns and NFL fans put on him.
The retired quarterback recently broke silence on the mental struggles during his time in Cleveland, revealing that not even NBA superstar LeBron James could get him out of his bed.
"I remember, this is how bad off I was when I was in Cleveland," Manziel told Shannon Sharpe on 'Club Shay Shay' show. "LeBron [James] would text me every week to come over and watch a game or play poker with the boys, or just try to be there. I was so depressed for the first time in my life that even the biggest role model and inspiration in my life couldn't get me out of bed to come and hang out with him."
Manziel admitted that James really tried to 'take him under his wing,' but the so-called 'Johnny Football' didn't have the right mindset to embrace that.
The former No. 22 overall pick in the 2014 NFL Draft has been very vocal about his tumultuous NFL journey and he seems to take a deeper look into that in this interview.
After a 2-6 record in two seasons with the Browns, in a stint that ended surrounded by off-the-field controversy, Manziel tried his look with different teams from the CFL, AAF and Fan Controlled Football League.
Manziel starred in one of the biggest controversies in recent NFL history and will remain one of the most disappointing players of all time.
He was considered a pretty big deal back in the day, but he couldn't manage the expectations and ended up having a really short NFL stint after all the good things he showed in college.
If you are in the United States and you or a loved one are facing mental and/or substance use disorders, call or text the SAMHSA National Helpline at 988 or call 1-800-662-HELP (4357) to connect with a trained counselor, call 1-800-985-5990 for the Disaster Distress Helpline or visit https://www.samhsa.gov/.
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