Johnny Manziel shares how NIL would have changed his career

Johnny Manziel had two years of college eligibility remaining when he declared for the 2014 NFL Draft, and the Texas A&M legend says he would have waited longer to turn professional had he played a decade later.

Manziel earned a total $7.7M during his brief NFL career with the Cleveland Browns, according to Spotrac. Had he been able to legally profit from his name, image and likeness in college, Manziel believes he could have made much more than that by staying at Texas A&M for two more seasons.

In an interview with ESPN's Greg McElroy on "Always College Football" that was published on Monday, Manziel said he believes he would have "taken a pay cut" by going to the NFL had he played in the NIL era.

"I think no matter what, being in the NIL era, if that would have been the equivalent of 2013, I would have stayed (at Texas A&M) no matter what,” Manziel said, via Michael David Smith of Pro Football Talk. “Just because a couple million bucks in College Station goes a really, really long way. And, you go to the NFL, you’re a first round pick you sign for $10 million or whatever it is, that’s the two years that I had remaining at Texas A&M, to be able to make through NIL.

"So I think, for me, when I think back about it now, I definitely, if there would have been any real money involved, I definitely would have stayed no matter what.”

Manziel notoriously did not take his NFL career seriously enough, which is why he lasted just two seasons after Cleveland drafted him 22nd overall. He probably could have gotten away with not focusing as much in college and still making money, so staying at Texas A&M or transferring for a massive NIL deal elsewhere probably would have been a no-brainer for him.

Manziel said in the past that his father told Texas A&M that Johnny would have stayed in school for a certain price. A pay-for-play arrangement would have been illegal at that time, of course.

Ultimately, Manziel peaked in college. That peak could have potentially lasted a bit longer, and been more lucrative, had Manziel played in the NIL era.